#glum today i guess

[flame-shadow]

I'm catching back up with the wings of fire series and part of me wondered if I should try to interact with general wof fandom. Last time I checked the tags, it was a whole lotta shipping shit, and when I checked again today, wouldn't you know it- it still is. And it's a shame so many artists stick with the official style of dragons because imo they're not that great looking and it feels like a whole batch of dragon artists are gonna carry this style far into the future. Alas.

[createhade]

Was bored at work so i decided to draw myself + myself in my plaguesona getup.

[onlyswan]

summary: in which for you, jungkook would commit crimes and his mother would peel oranges.

idol!jk x reader | fluff, angst | word count: 9.5k

warnings/content: oc passes out in the shower / jk does something crazy i’m literally insane about this / baby bam cameo 🥺 / stitches >:( / blood draw / mention of speeding / jealous not but rlly jealous oc is pissed owfffff at the nurse who has a crush on jk lmao / jk and his mom loves them to death tho so obv who wins / love is beautiful let’s all cry <3

> in which masterlist!

note: *sitcom sound effect of crowd cheering* I’M BACK 🥰 hope u enjoy the product of my madness during finals season hehehe. and special thanks to my cutieful proofreader rio!! you’re one of my most favorite people i’ve ever met 🥺💕 + my beloveds who came to the rescue when i had medical questions !! i didn’t expect to receive help from soooo many and i’m so freaking grateful i could cri :")

—

“i ordered it the other day. how did it arrive so early?”

jungkook walks back inside the apartment, arms occupied by a stack of boxes that arrived in the mail yesterday.

he arrives at the living room, head tilting to the side in confusion when he realizes that the netflix show he was watching on the television is no longer playing. instead, there is the news channel.

he gasps.

“baby, you’re alive!”

your swollen eyes flicker up to him.

you’re lying on the sofa with your legs lazily dangling on the edge. there’s a toothbrush in your mouth, foam of bubbles between your lips, but your arm barely exerts the energy to make it do its job.

“you were asleep from afternoon to morning. do you know that? you’ve never done that before!” he exclaims, carelessly tossing the boxes on the floor. “i was getting scared!”

you only hum to acknowledge his existence, pushing yourself up from the sofa and unknowingly dodging the hug your boyfriend wanted to greet you with.

he ends up collapsing face first on the empty space you left, hurt and offended.

the bathroom door opens and closes.

he flips over, whining. “yah, we didn’t see each other for a day. didn’t you miss me?!”

still not a single word from you. sleeping that long must not have cured your exhaustion, jungkook surmises. you tend to be glum and cranky when you’re feeling unwell, as is usually the case when you wake up as unrested as before.

he doesn’t always know how to make you feel better, but he always tries anyway.

“our new bedsheets arrived!” he announces from the other side of the bathroom door, making himself loud so that you can hear him despite the shower running. “do you want to unbox them with me?!”

he allows the seconds to pass, but with his hands on his hips, he eventually begins to tap his foot on the floor.

“baby? may i go in?”

he turns the knob, just to be prepared incase the answer is a yes, but it doesn’t turn. a sad pout forms on his face.

huh? why is it locked?

you must genuinely don’t want to be bothered today.

“guess that’s a no.” he mutters to himself before calling out to you. “okay, i’ll wait for you!”

with a crestfallen sigh, he begins to walk back to the living room.

he doesn’t go far, however.

only several steps later, a series of loud crashes is heard from the bathroom and his heart thunders in his chest with a combination of numbing shock and fear.

“____, what was that?! did you fall?!”

he aggressively pounds at the door, extremely desperate this time around. he has no plans on leaving until he knows that you’re safe and sound.

“baby! open this! are you alright…? are you hurt? you’re scaring me. please, answer!”

he pauses, catching his breath as his mind runs a thousand miles per hour.

“____!”

he strikes the door with an open palm one more time, more so to express his frustration that is only growing worse with every tick of the clock. he only ends up hurting himself in the process.

“that’s it! i’m opening the door!”

he frantically whips his head around, racking his brain for the location of the key. there are two copies of it somewhere in the apartment, but in his panicked state, he is unable to pinpoint either of their specific spots. and he can’t fucking afford to waste any more time.

“ah, fuck!” he curses, left with no other choice but to give in to the instinct of breaking down the door with the strength and durability of his body alone.

he would most definitely break his shoulder first before the door.

only after the first try, that much is clear.

and so, with madness inconsiderate of his agony, he resorts to kicking it over and over again.

the repeated loud collisions rattles poor bam from his slumber. not long after, the dog’s barking creates a booming dissonance with his grunts and kicks at the door.

when it finally swings open, the force of his own body sends him stumbling on the bathroom floor, but he doesn’t waste time in bouncing back to his feet.

the twisting of his stomach is instantaneous.

there lies your naked, unconscious figure behind the glass— surrounded by bottles of hair and body products that must have fallen when your hands were searching for something to hold on to.

his voice cracks, breathless.

“baby, no… no, no, no.”

he kneels on the floor, and despite the strong urge to carry you out of there, he tries to calm down. it’s the first rule in every emergency case; professionals reiterate in seminars and news channel segments.

keep calm. keep calm. keep calm.

he won’t be able to forgive himself if he ends up causing more harm than good.

“____, can you hear me?!”

his instinct tells him to inspect every inch of you for any sign of injury, but then his vision becomes too blurry. he curses at the hindrance and forces himself to turn off the showerhead that was left running.

he harshly wipes his face, rushing back to you.

“please, please, please. wake up.” he begs.

he has a feeling that it’s futile. you can’t hear him and he’s wasting his breath. the thing is he doesn’t know what else to do.

“baby…”

he carefully turns your head over, almost relieved because he hasn’t seen blood so far.

almost.

at last, he gets a full view of your face, and he finds blood dripping. this has always been one of his most paralyzing fears— seeing you get hurt. now that it’s become a reality, there’s a part of him that wants to believe this is some kind of twisted dream.

“how- how did this even happen…?” he cries out, his own blood running cold.

for everything that happens after, his body acts on its own. bam is a constant presence in his peripheral, but he is barely in his right mind to acknowledge the presence aside from, “bam, move. daddy might step on you.”

he carries you out of the bathroom, kicking aside the beaten up door. he has made up his mind about bringing you to the hospital, but he can’t bring you like… this.

he lays you down on the bed, all that gentleness switched off in a split second so he can sprint to the walk-in closet. he hastily grabs whatever is on top of your neatly folded stacks of shirts and pants; and then a fresh towel on the way out. the gentleness returns as he pats your face dry, the pure white stained with dark red. he flips the towel and uses the other side to wipe the rest of your body, in a race against time but mindful of treating you like fragile glass.

once that is over, he dresses you in a pair of gray sweatpants, and with some difficulty, an orange t-shirt.

any person with functioning eyes will be able to tell that the shades don’t go together.

if you were conscious, you’d definitely berate him for making you wear this outfit.

but you’re not.

jungkook effortlessly swoops you in his arms— dripping wet hair, his and yours, leaving behind a trail of raindrops from your apartment floor to the cemented parking lot.

—

your body feels like it’s floating.

are you dreaming…?

you must be dreaming.

you hear an uncoordinated symphony of voices, but you can’t comprehend a word. in pursuit of clarity, you force yourself to open your eyes.

the voices grow a little louder. faceless figures hover you; a bright light shines over your face.

your senses must be playing cruel tricks. now it feels like you’re drowning, sinking into the unknown, and your body has succumbed into numbing defeat.

you want to sleep a little more.

you must truly be exhausted. it’s okay.

you’ve fought hard until now. you’ve done enough… has anyone tried in life as much as you did?

just as your eyes flutter shut, you regain sensation of your hand; a soft squeeze and a call of your name.

—

jungkook gently strokes your hair, sighing for the nth time since you got transferred to a private room. he’s relieved that all the scans came back clean so serious head and brain injuries have been ruled out. the doctor also asked him questions and ran some other tests before concluding that electrolyte imbalance caused you to pass out; the culmination of stress and fatigue from work, as well as your strong period, most likely being the main reasons. he didn’t even know about the latter until you stained the white sheets with blood.

it was fucking frightening being in the sidelines as they rushed to check on your vitals and to administer oxygen. even now, it’s unbearable to see you with a needle in your hand and a few stitches above your eyebrow. he already anticipated you not being pleased with having to get stitches specifically either; gasping and sitting up as soon as you heard the word come from his lips post-consciousness. consequently, the dizziness hits you. the doctor wasn’t happy about that.

“this is so annoying. i don’t want a scar.” you whine as you study your face on the camera of jungkook’s phone. “did i have to fall on my prettier side?”

“what are you saying? you’re pretty from any angle.” he interjects. “be careful. the wound might open up.”

you jut out your bottom lip, looking up at him with glassy eyes. the sight instantly tugs at his heartstrings, and he pulls you in for a hug. maybe he’s a little sad that you don’t appear concerned about the fact that you passed out, but god is he relieved to finally hear your voice again.

“ah, i should call the doctor.”

but his face remains buried in your hair.

“they told me to do so.”

“you should-”

“why?!” he abruptly reacts, drawing back. “does anything hurt?”

“chill. you said that they told you to.”

“oh, that’s right.” he sheepishly smiles. he can’t help but to overreact; he hasn’t turned off the alarms in his head. “i’ll go tell the nurse to get her.”

he starts to walk towards the door, but a tug at his shirt holds him back.

you shyly look at him with a scrunch of your nose. “i’m nervous. hug me for five more seconds.”

fuck, he would move heaven and earth to protect you from everything that can cause you harm.

“why would you be nervous? i’m right here.” he scolds you lightheartedly, not hesitating to seize the chance to hug you again. “i love you.”

“i love you more.”

you pull away after five seconds, and he’d be disappointed about you being too true to your words if you didn’t kiss him on the cheek so ardently.

his heart almost jumps out of his chest when you gasp out of nowhere as if you just realized that you left the gas tank open at home. your eyes nearly pop out of their sockets.

“bam!”

oh, right. your child.

“my brother’s house!” he eases your mind.

you breathe out in relief, the heel of your palm pressing against the left side of your chest where your heart lives. “good… i was worried. he was probably more scared because he didn’t understand what was going on. i feel bad.”

you love bam so much; it makes him so happy. you’re so concerned about him even when you’re the one on the hospital bed. you make pretty good parents, huh?

“that’s right. he was worried about you, too. that’s why you need to recover quickly so he won’t be sad!”

—

the doctor kindly asked jungkook to give the two of you some time alone, so he’s been idly sitting at the lobby after buying a bottle of water. he’s pretty much used to visiting the hospital for routine checkups considering the nature of his job, but it always feels strange to be here for the other different purposes of the place.

is there any other building sadder than this?

if you heard him utter this question, he could easily predict what you’d say: but is there any other building with more love?

if he tries hard enough, he could listen to your voice and paint you in his mind.

you see love in every place that you step foot into.

his curious eyes continue to wander around. he spots people carrying flowers, baskets, and containers of food. there’s also a teenage boy in his high school uniform, carrying a teddy bear larger than him.

not that he wants you to stay longer, but if you have to, he writes down a mental note to bring one of your favorite plushies.

he eventually gets tired; considers scrolling on his phone again, but he decides against it when his gaze lands on a little boy sleeping soundly on his mother’s lap. suddenly, he is reminded of his childhood before he moved to seoul.

how simple life can be when you’re innocently sleeping on your mother’s lap, trusting that everything will be alright.

“ah, i miss my mom…” he utters absentmindedly. “i miss my mom so much. i should call her.”

his reminiscing is interrupted when a wheelchair rolls by infront of him. it is leisurely being pushed by an old man who wants to bring his wife outside for some fresh air.

in a parallel universe somewhere, jungkook can imagine them as you and him.

he sits up straight, looking back at the clock on the wall.

how long has it been? he wants to be by your side again.

—

“jungkook!” your face lights up as soon as your boyfriend steps into the room. “what took you so long?”

“i know. sorry, baby. i got a little distracted outside.”

“i’ve been waiting.” you pout. “why? were people bothering you?”

“not at all. don’t worry.”

you pat the empty space beside you. “here.”

“i think the bed is meant for only one person- damn, okay, okay-”

he swiftly gives in upon seeing the hurt on your face, occupying the space you reserved for him. “i love you. don’t be sad.”

you’re aching too much to wait for him to get settled. you wrap your arms around his waist like you’re a magnet attracted to steel, clinging to him for comfort.

if you’re being honest, you don’t know how you feel about being in this situation. overwhelmed? maybe a tiny bit relieved. in the past, it didn’t matter whether you were sick or not. you needed to work or else it was guaranteed that you wouldn’t survive. life is easier now. you have the luxury to use this as a reason to take a break. you have someone who takes care of you as naturally as he breathes.

“how was the doctor?”

“she’s nice… she just asked me about the things i remember before i passed out. then about my work, diet, sleeping schedule… stuff like that.”

you pull away a little, just enough so you can see each other’s face. you squint at him suspiciously. “did you have to get an expensive room?”

he chuckles. “how did you know? they didn’t tell you that, did they?”

“i literally have the perfect view of the fountain from here!” you point at the large window behind you. “i just passed out. i would’ve been fine downstairs.”

“don’t say it like that. it could’ve been so much worse.” he says with knitted eyebrows, palm cupping the back of your head and caressing softly.

he heaves a sigh.

“i was so scared that you injured your head. seriously, i thought i’d go insane if i lost you! i went past the speed limit driving you here!”

the distress he was under is apparent. you can’t help but to be racked with the guilt. you always do this, making him worry himself to death. you don’t usually do it purpose, and that only makes you feel shittier.

“you’re right. i’m sorry.”

“well, i…” he sighs. “it’s okay. i know you didn’t want this either. it’s not your fault.”

you press your lips into a thin line. “it kind of is.”

your lost eyes meet, and a connection is established like it’s a constellation sending a secret message. your heart flutters when he giggles, dimples and starry eyes and crinkled corners.

“stop it. it’s impossible to scold you when you’re so cute and self-aware.”

“then don’t scold me.” you sniffle sadly to kindle pity in him. “i’ve had enough of it from the doctor.”

your brain still works well enough to help you escape from trouble. that’s a good sign, right?

“my poor baby.” he coos, cradling your cheeks.

his hands are warm. you put yours over them; a wordless signal telling him you don’t want him to go away.

“let’s not get hurt again, please. we need to stay healthy and take good care of ourselves so this won’t happen again, alright?”

you nod in obedience. your eyes are fixed on him but you’re not certain if you’re registering what he’s telling you in your pitiful, shaken brain.

“the hospital already did me many favors. if we go back, i might have to build them another fountain as a gift.”

and knowing jungkook, with his golden heart and his black card, jokes become half-meant.

“what do they need that for?!”

he bursts out laughing, yet again, after you chide at him for his ridiculous and unnecessary expenses.

“nothing, i’m just grateful! i was really so scared but i’m relieved now thanks to them. i can’t remember the last time i felt that way.”

“you’re not scared of a lot of things.” you point out.

“that’s right.” he agrees. “only you scare me these days.”

you grimace. “am i scary?”

“you are, sometimes.” he laughs, squishing your cheeks together. “but i mean the things that could hurt you.”

as if on cue, your stomach grumbles and bellows like a monster stuck in an empty cave. your eyes grow twice its size in bewilderment, which then morphs into embarrassment.

“my stomach hurts.” you say quietly.

your nostrils flare as jungkook miserably fails to hold back his laughter. one of his hands leave your face, rubbing your tummy over the thin hospital gown.

“oh no, what are we going to do? where does it hurt? here?” he pouts. “should we go feed you now to make it go away?”

“what is wrong with you?” you slap his shoulder in annoyance. “i’m not a baby!”

“yah, be careful!” he yells, wincing as if he is the one in pain. “be gentle with the one with the iv!”

—

“you know one good thing that came out of this?” you gush out of nowhere.

you’re mixing up the ingredients of your bibimbap bowl with a spoon and a pair of chopsticks.

jungkook noisily drinks the final sips of his banana milk. afterwards, he makes a game out of shooting the box in the trash bin.

“what could that be?” he asks, doubtful.

he sits on the chair beside your bed. you greet him with a delighted grin, licking your thumb stained with gochujang.

“you proved your love. you committed a crime for me.”

he gasps to humor you, body freezing as if he’s currently processing the newly-learned information in his brain.

“oh? you’re right- i did! and you know what? i’d do it again!”

with a mouthful of rice, you shake your head in disagreement furiously. “you’re cute. but that’s the first and last.”

“but how are you sure that it’s the first?” he raises an eyebrow quizically.

silly enough, you envy him for being able to do so.

you hum in thought. “i guess you’ve stolen a few things for me, too.”

“few? you mean a loooot?”

“you’re the one who brings home food and random things.” you roll your eyes. “i never ask you to.”

“you told me you wanted the service bell!”

you feel yourself become flushed with sheepishness. he’s not lying. you’ve always found the object fascinating as a child, so you couldn’t help but to tell him to sneakily take one home after filming a competitive run bts episode.

did you have a silly phase where you and jungkook used it to summon each other just to laugh together about it?

perhaps.

“well, you’re rich. you could’ve bought me one instead.”

“but it was already there.” he reasons with a wide grin, gesturing infront of him. “i wanted to give it to my lover right away.”

his lover?

jungkook has successfully replaced your frown with an enamored smile.

“i made your heart flutter just now, didn’t i?”

a hospital stay has never felt this comfortable— not terrifying. you have stitches on your face and to add to that, this hospital gown feels super unflattering. somehow, your boyfriend’s loving gaze remains steady and you are melting.

“shut up,” you mutter, flustered, handing him the pair of chopsticks. “please eat with me. i can’t finish this on my own.”

—

“why would you let them put the needle in my dominant hand?”

you stomp your feet on the ground as jungkook squeezes some toothpaste onto a newly-bought toothbrush.

“i’m sorry! i was too stressed out so i just pointed! i think i got confused with- with left and right.”

you didn’t realize this while you were eating; that you were unconsciously holding the spoon with your non-dominant hand because the other felt uncomfortable. maybe because it was a simple task, scooping food and bringing it to your mouth. brushing your teeth, on the other hand… can be quite an arm workout.

“eeeee!”

he shows his complete set of teeth, urging you to do the same. you stare at him blankly.

“eeeee!” he repeats with heightened enthusiasm.

left with no other choice— you copy his awkward smile.

“there we go!” he praises you with an over-enthusiastic beam.

he carries on to brush your teeth, gingerly holding your chin to keep you steady as he does his job.

this is the first time jungkook is doing this for you. today is definitely not one of your finest moments. it feels a bit silly to be in this situation, and you feel bad for putting your boyfriend in this position in the first place. you can see that he’s trying his best—unnecessarily focused—and that he loves you, but you just hate giving him a hard time.

with a soft smile, he wipes the bubbles that overflowed past your lips.

“okay, spit.”

you spit out more of the bubbles on the sink. you assume that he’s finished, except he’s making another vowel sound for you to mimic the mouth shape of.

“ahhhh-”

“this is embarrassing!”

“baby, really? this is where you draw the line?” he playfully squeezes your cheeks together. “it’s almost over! ahhhh!”

and you let him do this thing, but not without a glare that is masking the embarrassing truth: you might be enjoying this more than you care to admit.

“see? was that so bad?”

as he tenderly pats your face dry in the aftermath, he says: “i’m sorry. bear with it a little more. let me take care of you so you’ll be healthy again.” and you feel every ounce of his sincerity pierce through the barriers surrounding your soul.

“stop it…” your voice suddenly comes out broken.

you want to put all the blame on your period for the tears that are now brimming your eyes, but jungkook is your biggest weakness of all and that is an explanation enough.

“why are you crying?” he panics. “what did i say?”

“it’s your fault.”

you break down into loud sobs, incapable of even keeping your eyes open. you never understood why we close our eyes when we cry, but right now, you know that you can’t bear to witness his reaction.

“you’re so sweet.”

the towel that was wiping the water from your mouth is now drying the tears from your stained cheeks.

“am i making you sad?”

you furiously shake your head. how could he say such a thing? he is the greatest joy of your life.

“no?”

“no!”

“okay, come here then.”

he wraps his arms around your trembling figure, caging you in the solace of his entire existence. a sense of calmness washes over your system, especially as he runs his hand across your back in gentle strokes. this isn’t his goal though, it seems. you hear none of his quiet shushes beseeching you to stop breaking his heart. he hopes you let go of everything that has been weighing on you, but he has already eased all your pains by loving you.

“ugh, i probably look horrible right now.” you force a chuckle to lighten up the mood, wiping your face with the back of your free hand. “i feel gross.”

“that’s not true.” he gazes at you fondly, brushing your hair with his fingers. “it’s actually infuriating how you look so beautiful still.”

“i know. i’m nice to look at; that’s why you tolerate my attitude.” you conclude in jest.

“yeah, sometimes.” he rides on the joke.

“what…?”

“i’m joking!” he rushes to take it back with a laugh. “of course i’m joking!”

you pout. “are you really?”

“oh, come onnnn.”

he coaxes you with a kiss on the lips— a good morning kiss long overdue. you’ve been spoiled rotten with affection; he knows you need more than one. he interrupts himself several times to kiss you.

“you know i’ll love you until our hair turns white and our skin all wrinkly.”

to be brutally honest, you’re not fond of imagining that far ahead. it’s daunting. you doubt your capability to age with grace. you’re horrified by the thought of having the majority of your life behind you. nostalgia has always been more bitter than sweet. but maybe this memory could be the sweetest of all, if jungkook truly stays by your side until then. in a cottage at the countryside like he said once, or a cabin by the ocean.

you’re both so young; so arrogant when it comes to making promises that are a shot in the dark. so fucking in love.

“me too.” you half-smile, scrunching your nose— a telltale sign of your joy. “now, get out. i really need to pee.”

his face becomes drained of blood. “but you’re st-”

“i won’t lock the door this time.” you cup his cheek, looking at his eyes reassuringly. “we don’t need property damage added to the bill.”

—

“did you not hurt yourself?”

“me?”

“you broke down the door. that’s not easy to do.”

you and jungkook make the best out of a bad deal. you’re squeezed together on the bed, browsing through television channels that seem to never end.

“it was easy because you were on the other side of it.”

that is what he claims confidently, but you are not fully convinced.

“wow, why do they have more channels than we do at home?”

“you didn’t answer my question.” you pout. “did you hurt yourself?”

“i didn’t hurt myself. i’m totally okay. i promise.”

he maintains eye-contact as he speaks. given the assurance, your tight chest unrestricts. jungkook is not a good liar. it’s a trait that causes him inconvenience every now and then, but it helps you to sleep soundly at night.

“should we just watch funny animal videos on youtube?”

“i guess that’s fine.”

it doesn’t show but you feel excitement run in your veins aside from the iv fluids that feel peculiarly cold.

from under your cheek, his chest vibrates with a giggle. “okay, hold on.”

as he pulls up the application, you tangle your legs together beneath the thin blanket. you hear the rapid tap tap tap of the remote control navigating the keypad while he types on the search bar, but your attention is someplace else. you’ve found the crook of his neck to sneak into, lazily kissing every inch of his exposed skin. your lips eventually trail up to his jaw. he smells so nice. you’re addicted.

“baby, someone can enter any minute.”

“i’m not doing anything.” you mumble.

you smile against his lips when he gives you a kiss as sweet as honey anyway.

“i’m curious about another thing.”

“what’s that?”

“did you cry?”

he comes to a still. the answer to that question requires a little time and thought.

“almost…”

“why almost?”

“no time. i had to bring you here, of course.” he replies.

you huff a laugh, exhaling a twinge of melancholia. “don’t cry.”

“i won’t. i’m happy now because you’re awake and fighting with me.”

“ow-”

your cry of pain is silenced when he squeezes you in an embrace that makes it nearly impossible to breathe.

“red panda!”

a squeal assaults both of your hearing as soon as your eyes land on the wide screen infront of the bed.

“i want one so fucking bad.”

the enunciated curse makes your boyfriend crack up in amusement. “that much?!”

—

jungkook opens his eyes to a nurse lightly nudging him awake.

“i’m sorry, i had to wake you up. i need to check vitals and draw blood.”

“shit, i’m sorry.” he panics.

his brain is foggy from the nap, but he still carefully sits up on the bed, wary of the iv line connected to your hand.

“i… was tired and i fell asleep.”

“it’s no problem; don’t worry.”

she smiles at him, but he doesn’t see it.

“you look adorable sleeping.”

“ah, really?” he awkwardly responds, absentminded. “it’s embarrassing.”

he stands on your side, about to disturb your peaceful rest much as it makes his heart ache with guilt, but you’re already stirring due to the absence of his warmth.

your heavy eyelids blink at the nurse in curiosity. “oh… do you need my blood?”

“yes, but i’ll take your blood pressure and temperature first.”

“okay,” you mumble, offering your arm. “it might be higher now because i’m scared.”

she chuckles at your joke. jungkook tries to share an endeared look with her and non-verbally communicate adorable, right?

“i promise i’ll be quick. although we definitely want it to be higher than earlier’s.”

you wince as the cuff around your upper arm goes as tight as it could, and you sigh at the same time that it begins to deflate.

“good, good, good,” she chants with a mumble. “it’s back in the normal range again…”

she brings out a digital thermometer from her pocket.

“you know where this goes.”

she hands it over to you, and you awkwardly place it in your armpit, holding it in place. it’s quiet as you wait for the device to make the beeping sound, except for her pen creating friction with your chart as she takes down notes.

“how’s your stitches? do you feel any discomfort?”

“it’s fine. thank you.”

not long after, you hear the beep. you return the thermometer to her, but not before taking a peak at the numbers displayed on the tiny screen. 36.8°C. you think you’ll live.

“i’ll draw your blood now.”

the nurse’s voice is sweet and reassuring, but it doesn’t quite ease the nervousness evident on your expression. your pupils shake as you watch her disinfect the area, and then comes out the long needle.

another one, jungkook laments inside.

“____, i’m right here.”

you crane your head, whimpering out his name. “jungkook,”

“it will be just a pinch. i’m inserting the needle now, alright?”

you take a sharp inhale.

if only he could switch positions with you, he would do it in a heartbeat. unfortunately, all he can do is caress your hair and whisper that it will be over soon.

“it hurts.” your damp eyelashes flutter, face twisting in discomfort. “i don’t like it.”

really, just a pinch? obviously a lie.

“hey, baby. look at the tv.”

the autoplay was left turned on after you fell asleep together. inside the screen is a puppy rolling around a snow-covered lawn. the wagging of its tail, the wide smile, and the pupils as big as boba balls: they all scream the happiness of an innocent.

“it’s so cute… i miss bam already. can we go to a dog park again?”

“of course!”

that promise sparks your smile. you turn to your side, and jungkook also catches a glimpse of the cotton taped to where you were poked.

“all done. you can go back to resting.”

“thank you. will you need to take blood again?” you inquire at the nurse.

“hm, probably. it depends on the doctor based on the results we get from this one.”

“can’t you just do it while i’m asleep? or is that not allowed?”

“baby…” jungkook snorts, hiding his face behind the palm of his hands.

the nurse laughs at your desperate suggestion. “that is honestly not a rare request, but the thing is… you might wake up in the middle of it and injure yourself. we can’t do that.”

“that won’t be a problem!” you passionately argue your case. “i’m a deep sleeper. seriously!”

“ah, thank you so much for your hard work!”jungkook intervenes, bowing to the nurse out of respect and gratitude. “i’m sure you’re busy. i will handle this!”

“oh yes, yes- thank you. please don’t forget the medicine for after dinner.”

“i won’t!”

“if you need anything, you know where to find me again.”

“yes,” he nods, chuckling. “thank you.”

“then i should leave…? but you’ll see me again later! bye!”

the door shuts, and his attention lands on your unimpressed form: a blank stare and arms folded infront of your chest.

uh-oh.

“did she seriously wink while saying that?”

“what?” he freezes, genuinely clueless. “i don’t know. i didn’t see anything. i was looking at you.”

“i’m right here- i’m the patient. why would you need anything from her? huh? why is she so excited to see you again?” you ramble angrily.

“right?!”

he climbs on the bed, reclaiming his spot next to you.

“that was weird.”

“what if she made it hurt on purpose? that…” you frown, glancing at your arm. “that didn’t really feel like a pinch to me.”

“ey, calm down. she wouldn’t.” he makes a doubtful face, laughing off the accusation. “…i don’t think so?”

you blink, exhaling in disbelief. “are you taking her side now?”

“of course not! baby, i’m just saying… a professional won’t do that.”

“why not? she’s still human. humans do stupid things when they like someone. she obviously likes you.”

“and so what?”

he grins with a spark of mischief, leaving an inch of a distance between your lips.

“i’m obviously yours.”

but you turn your cheek and your eyes fall on your lap, a pout highlighting your downcast mood.

“it’s so annoying.”

the regret sinks in after. he should’ve stuck to the golden rule: agree with everything that you say. there’s no point in having an argument no one will win. does it matter who’s right and wrong if each other’s sadness is contagious in addition to their own? your gut has almost always been right, and he’s old enough to be conscious of not allowing a stranger to put a dent on your relationship.

“are you serious? are you uncomfortable?” he tilts his head to try and get a better look at your face. “should i request for a different nurse?”

it’s quiet for a beat and he feels inclined to fill the silence with whatever enters his mind.

“i love you.”

almost immediately, your features soften and he knows your heart is also melting. the two of you bite the inside of your cheeks to hide a smile.

“no, there’s no need for that.”

but he still can’t help but to be worried. your peace of mind is his top priority. he doesn’t want you to be more stressed out, especially by things that he has the power to solve.

“are you sure?”

“she pissed me off. i need to piss her off too.”

of course, his ever stubborn and competitive lover. he sits up properly, amused and curious.

“and how will you do that?”

“i don’t know,” you nonchalantly shrug. “i’ll come up with something.”

—

“come up with what?”

to your surprise, a voice you haven’t heard in weeks echoes from the door.

“mom…?”

you’re stunned after only hearing yourself react to jungkook’s mother’s unexpected entrance. your head whips to his direction; your eyes wordlessly interrogating him.

“i need to go to work so i called her to watch over you.” he explains.

“why would you do that?” you argue with him as quietly as possible, lips barely moving as you try to hide your face from your mother-in-law. again, not one of your finest moments. “you didn’t have to. i can take care of myself.”

“but you don’t have to because you have us.”

jungkook marks the conversation finished with a kiss pressed to your temple, leaving you dumbfounded. he jumps off the bed and for a split second, you make eye-contact with his mother before he towered over her for a quick hug.

her kind smile is embroidered in your memory; a memory that wraps your heart in a type of warmth only a mother can provide.

“mom! i’m sorry. i really, really, really need to leave now. but! i’ll try to come back early so you can go home early too.”

“aigoo, stop stressing yourself out.”

jungkook receives a slap on the back, somehow more loving can scolding.

“i can stay the night so do what you need to do. you don’t have to worry.”

“it’s not only because i’m worried!”

she sassily puts a hand over her waist. it takes everything in you not to laugh out loud.

“then what else?”

“mom! what else?” he cheekily smiles. “of course i’ll miss ____ too much.”

did your boyfriend just…? to his mother? your jaw becomes slack from the shame.

“i missed ____ too!” she contests. “go to work and give us our alone time.”

you shyly smile when she transfers her attention from her son to you.

“hello, my baby. are you hungry?”

—

“does my son feed you well?”

“he does! but it’s funny- other mothers ask the opposite. are you feeding my son well? do you make sure he’s comfortable?”

you think out loud, transfixed on how she peels oranges with ease. your hands would always be stained by the juices, (and eyes red and teary from accidental splashes) (it’s too embarrassing to even think about) but hers are still magically clean.

“is that so?”

you graciously accept the slice she feeds you. she laughs when your face lights up like a christmas tree one more time. it’s way sweeter than you anticipated. you can’t get over how delicious it is.

“mhmm!”

perhaps you relied too much on dramas when it came to your expectations of what a relationship with your in-laws would look like. you imagined yourself running around like a dog trying to prove yourself worthy of their son, yet for some reason, it looks like they adore you for simply existing. it makes you feel extremely grateful, but you don’t understand.

“mom, i have a question… i know it’s probably too late to ask this now, but…”

“what could that be?”

“are you really not against me and jungkook living together?” you swallow your fear of the possibility of an unpleasant truth. “are you not… worried… that i’m receiving too much from him?”

because you would understand the apprehension. as a parent, one’s main concern would be their child. to outside eyes, it’s easy to come to the conclusion that jungkook is being taken advantage of and he’d be better off dating someone with the same status. sometimes you wish you were that someone too.

she utters your name sadly.

“he receives happiness and love from you. those are the most valuable things you could give to a person.”

she caresses your hair like she wants to erase the anxiety poisoning your mind.

“my dear, how come you’re worried about that until now? haven’t we told you? you’re part of the family. forget about my sister! i don’t welcome her negativity in our house!”

“living together is different. it’s a big deal. it normally happens in a relationship after…” the following words feel foreign in your mouth; they come out quieter than the rest of your sentence. “getting married.”

“then tell me. why did you agree to live with him?”

because you’re selfish. because you want more time that you can have him all to yourself. because you want to be accessible— the first person he runs to when he’s seeking comfort and stability. because you want goodnight and good morning kisses. because you were afraid of the risks but you’ve grown addicted to the thrill of love.

“he said… no matter how hard i push him away, he will stay within my reach.”

you hear your own shaky breathing. that moment— it’s still burned into your memory. you’re still holding on to it. it’s a promise he is yet to break and you pray that he never, ever does.

“i don’t want to push him away. i want to be within his reach too.”

you’re two people loving each other with everything within your means. after the endless pains and the deafening noise, you like to think that’s what makes this relationship worth fighting for.

“does my opinion still matter knowing that? will you let me stop you?”

“no, i won’t. i’d make you change your mind.”

if you had a machine connected to you, she would see how your heart rate has gone off the charts. but you’re known to say whatever’s on your mind and that, much to your dismay, isn’t switched off despite sitting infront of the woman who birthed and raised the love of your life.

you sniffle, pursing your lips nervously. “but i feel like there might be a right answer to that one.”

what you didn’t expect was her to laugh until her belly hurts; placing a hand over her mouth in an effort to calm herself down and keep grace.

“mom! stop, i’m so embarrassed!”

“no, ____, don’t get me wrong!”

she is teary-eyed as she gathers herself together.

“the more time i spend with you, the more i realize why jungkook loves you so much. i’ve seen him show incredible commitment twice. do you know that? first, when he went to seoul to become a singer. second, when he told us he got an apartment because he wants to be with you… of course, as his mother, i’ll admit that he’s young when he made those decisions, but he always proves to me that he’s smart and responsible.”

the urge to cry returns and strengthens as she speaks. you feel your eyelashes become damp with unshed tears. you don’t know how to act. you fiddle with your fingers. you stare at the strings and peels of the oranges you can still taste.

“i believe we both know jungkook’s personality well. he wouldn’t have let me stop him either. i’m happy to know that you’ll fight for him too.”

“thank you…”

“tsk, tsk, tsk- what is there to cry about? jungkook will get angry at me if he discovers that i made you cry.”

she wipes away your tears; however, the unmistakable scent of oranges that has clung to her hands and the affection in her tone bring forth a waterfall.

“seeing this makes me sadder.” she laments, referring to the stitches on your face.

“me too,” you babble in the midst of quiet sobs. “it makes me sad. it’s so ugly.”

—

you can’t remember the last time you felt this alone. perhaps it’s the effect of staying in an unfamiliar building of complete strangers. without your mobile phone, may you add. you managed to persuade jungkook’s mother to leave an hour ago because you didn’t want her to sleep on the uncomfortable couch.

the lights are turned off except for the lamp beside your bed, and with the television muted, you could hear a hairpin drop.

you’re alone and you can do whatever you want.

you dragged the visitor’s chair infront of the window to admire the garden like it’s a painting in motion. you watched people converse, stroll, and drink coffee. you watched them run for shelter when the clouds became too heavy and the sky began to fall. oh, so that’s why you couldn’t see the stars.

at this moment, there’s nothing left to amuse yourself with but the trembling of the leaves and the raindrops forming temporary rings when they fall in the water fountain.

your senses crave for more. you reach over and crack open the window, just enough to allow the sound of the rain and the scent of it permeating the earth to enter your room.

“this is kind of peaceful.” you whisper, amazed by the new lightness carried by your heart.

you close your eyes and you breathe in the petrichor deeply. you want nature in your lungs as a reminder that you’re alive. you welcome the cold wind kissing your face. you can feel your hair touching your neck. you always do, but for once, you’re choosing to acknowledge it. your thumb slowly brushes across the palm of your hand, perceiving the texture of your skin, the softness, and the lines. and your feet, they’re in the clouds, the fluffy slippers jungkook’s mother bought outside because she knows they’re your favorite to wear.

you’ve loved and despised this body for a million different reasons. your mind and heart have accepted defeat countless times, but your body wakes up to every brand new day without fail. your body implores you to live. did it finally give up on you today?

“baby!”

you look behind to search for the source of the sound.

you get your answer from the kiss planted on your lips.

you only saw his face for a split second, but even if you had your eyes closed, you’d know it has to be jungkook kissing you.

you can smell him. you’ve memorized the way the shape of his lips fits with yours.

oh, the sounds of his kisses too. you like to call them the butterfly call because they make butterflies appear in your stomach.

you could trace the scar on his cheek with your finger if you want to.

god, what a privilege it is to experience life in this vessel.

a knock on the door forces you to part too early. the same nurse from earlier enters and you internally scream all the curse words in your dictionary. jungkook acknowledges her with a bow and a quick ‘hello’ before squatting down infront of you.

“i committed another crime for you today.”

“huh?”

your wide, confused eyes take a glimpse at the nurse who is doing something with the controls of your iv line.

hahaha… she knows he’s not serious, right?

“what did you do?”

his smile is so big that his eyes have turned into little crescent moons. you’d make a guess but there is an infinite amount of things jungkook could possibly be this excited about.

…apparently, one of them would be strawberry cake.

you gape at the transparent box he was hiding behind his back all along.

“did you steal somebody’s birthday cake?!”

“it’s a producer’s birthday and he received lots of cakes, so he told me i can take one home.”

“how is it stealing if he allowed you to take it?”

he tosses his backpack on the couch as he sets down the box on the table. he rummages through the bag his mother left behind, successfully bringing out a spoon. meanwhile, you get your blood pressure taken again.

as he opens the box, he sends a smirk your way.

“no. i hid the strawberry cake because there’s so many who wanted to eat it.”

“are you crazy?!”

the nurse clicks her tongue. “don’t talk and stay still, please.”

“oh,” your hand flies to your mouth on instinct. “i’m sorry.”

“i’m sorry.” jungkook also apologizes.

you and your boyfriend secretly share a look, exchanging a smile that is stifled laughter inside. your lips remain zipped as the nurse restarts the process of taking your blood pressure. on the other hand, jungkook eats a spoonful of cake, teasingly wiggling his eyebrows at you. you roll your eyes and he tries harder to laugh without a sound.

seconds later, he grumbles about the room being too warm. he wipes the beads of sweat on his forehead using the back of his hand, and he does the worst thing he could possibly do at this moment. he reaches for his back, pulling his sweater over his head. naturally, his inner shirt rides up and allows wandering eyes a peak at his glorious toned abdomen.

passed out in the shower. busted your eyebrow open. front-row seat for a woman flirting and ogling at your boyfriend.

how fucking great.

“hello? i think it’s done.” you snap.

“a-ah, yes.”

you hear her swallow as she removes the cuff from your arm. she may be wearing a mask but she’s hot and red all the way to her ears. you’ve only read about it in books. you didn’t even believe this could happen in real life until now.

“i will check your temperature too.”

“go on.”

you repeat the same process from hours earlier, drumming your fingers on your thigh as you wait for the beep.

“yah, why is the window open? you’ll catch a cold.”

jungkook, yet again, steals the attention of every person in the room when he rises to his feet. his shadow casts over you as he closes the window.

“i wanted to smell the rain.”

“is the room getting too stuffy for you?”

you shrug. “i just wanted to smell the rain.”

you feel the nurse’s stare. you offer her a smile and her nameplate briefly gets caught by your vision. kang ji-woo.

“ji-woo; that’s a pretty name.” you pay her a sincere compliment. “it’s healing, don’t you think?”

“yes? uh-uhm, y-yes…” she replies, unsure and confused by the sudden small talk. “actually, it’s been linked to a reduction in stress and anxiety levels.”

“thank you! babe, did you hear that?”

“uhuh, think about my stress and anxiety levels.” he leans against the window with his arms crossed, raising an eyebrow at you.

so now he’s flexing his arm muscles. cool, cool, cool. you know he’s not doing it on purpose and his entire existence is just naturally hot and it’s infuriating.

“i’ve been worried sick about you all day.”

his statement makes you frown for a new reason. at the same moment, the thermometer beeps.

“could you please tell him that i’m fine?”

“37.3, uhhh- that’s slightly above normal. how do you feel? does your head hurt? are you cold?”

“i feel fine though?”

“okay. please take a lot of rest and stay warm…” her gaze lingers at jungkook who is blocking the window. “keep the window closed. hopefully it won’t be higher when i check again later.”

seriously?! you could cry. you want to go home where it’s comfortable. where it’s only you and jungkook and bam.

but you bet somebody would be happy if you had to stay longer.

“i’ll look after ____.” your boyfriend sighs, pulling out a jacket from his backpack.

“you shouldn’t have kissed me. what if you get sick?”

your blatantness causes the nurse to pause in updating your chart. she awkwardly clears her throat. “yeah… that… that isn’t currently advisable.”

“i’m sorry. i’ll control myself.”

you earn a glare from jungkook, then he fakes a smile which you gladly return.

“before you go, may i request for a new blanket? sorry, i spilled something earlier.”

“sure thing! i’ll come back with that right away.”

—

“she seemed happy to leave.” jungkook remarks. “i can’t tell if you were actually being nice or being passive aggressive.”

you smile innocently, taking a bite off the strawberry you stole from the top of the cake. “i’m a fucking angel.”

damn it, why is he suddenly turned on?

were you serious about the no kiss rule?

“would you rather i be the type to pull their hair?”

he shakes his head with a laugh. “but you did slap someone once.”

“you want to see me that furious again?”

“never in my wildest dreams.”

he kisses the top of your head, producing an exaggerated ‘mmmwah!’ sound that makes you giggle happily.

“here, have some more cake.”

he offers you a spoonful of cake.

no, it’s bigger.

as a matter of fact, the piece could probably pass off as a cupcake.

you gawk at it as if you’re figuring out the logistics of putting it in your mouth. his heart does a flip when you tilt your head and do your best to take in the whole thing. however, in the middle of it, you decide that you can’t, and you end up biting it off a little more than halfway.

oh my god, he loves you. he loves you. you’re so fucking cute.

your cheeks are full as you struggle to chew. you cover your mouth with your hand but they don’t touch. you’re so elegant in your ways and sometimes he wonders how you’re still attracted to him after he acts stupid.

also, plain white nails? that’s new. you always want colors.

“your nails look pretty.”

he is so focused on you that he fails to take notice of another presence occupying the room.

“your mom did them for me.”

“i figured. she wants to do mother-daughter things with you.”

the short break of silence speaks volumes. you look at him, blinking with eyes hinting at a type of joy you’re lost on how to express.

“did you choose white?”

“no. we were watching a drama and it was the couple’s wedding.”

oh, that makes total sense.

“let me guess,” he trails off with a half-embarrassed, half-entertained smile. “she asked when we will get married?”

“why would she ask me that? how would i know?” you scoff.

his heart starts at a thousand miles per hour. fuck, are you hinting at him? are you messing with his feelings again? with you, he always needs to remind himself to be rational.

“i need more time to prove to you that i’m husband material.”

“what? stop it. i don’t care. i don’t need a ring.”

your unpredictableness pushes him to the edge of his seat.

“don’t pressure yourself. you already treat me way better than most husbands do their wives.”

the pride painted on your face is unmistakable. he feels his heart swelling in his chest. has he been doing a better job than he originally thought? after what happened today, he was terrified that he hasn’t been paying enough attention to you.

“i’m so happy with what we have.”

you offer him a delicate smile before eating the rest of the cake that was left on the spoon. he swears there’s a glowing halo above your head.

could your temperature have magically dropped in the past five minutes? would you kill him if he kissed you right now?

“is there anything else i could assist you with?”

and then he is rudely snapped out of his hopeless adoration and daydreaming.

“that’s all! thank you for your hard work!” you chirp.

he turns to the nurse with a lovesick grin.

“please come to our wedding.”

the unforeseen wedding invitation earns him a slap on the chest. he clutches the affected area, wincing in pain.

he hears you mutter. “don’t invite strangers to our wedding.”

the irritated glare he predicted to face isn’t there. rather, you’re wearing the flustered smile he only sees when he knows that he did something to make you fall for him all over again.

before ji-woo left, she tried to subtly reject the invitation by jokingly saying that she’d die to go, but most probably, she’d have to work that day. you know… being an overworked hospital employee and all. you caught her glancing at you with bitterness failed to be guised as indifference. you get it. you’d hate it if another person was in your place. frankly speaking, you could be miles pettier.

your boyfriend wipes the corner of your lips, thoughtless as he licks off the cake frosting from his thumb.

damn it, you wish she was also here for that.

“you haven’t stopped smiling.”

“you love me and you never let me forget that.”

you give an answer despite the lack of a question mark.

you just made his world stop spinning on its axis and you’re not even aware.

jungkook knows the heavenly feeling of knowing that he is loved, but he has never deeply considered the joy and relief when the person he loves believes that he loves them.

“i’m so lucky. i love you.”

you push yourself up to plant a kiss on his forehead. it’s a rarity he treasures and keeps.

“i love you too.”

he cries infront of you.

almost.

he excuses himself to the bathroom and cries in there a little.

you’re so easy to love— that’s why it makes him want to do difficult things for you. like commit more crimes?

[avvidstarion]

Wish my friends would stop being fuckinf mean to me

[arminsumi]

✎ he tells his mom about you.

note : i'm avoiding homework and skimming my tumblr drafts lol

summary — in the kitchen, your fave and his mom share a conversation about you over their morning coffees.

🍒 — J ⋅ reblogs and comments help a lot ! enjoy reading :)

satoru 💗 さとる

he talks so excitedly when it's your name is on his tongue. his eyes light up, and he talks at a an accelerating pace.

"...and she likes the films i like, so i thought i'd invite her over for a movie marathon on the weekend... i can't wait to introduce you to her, mom. she's damn beautiful."

momma gojo can't help but softly smile, she's waited for the day satoru's heart finally settled on someone. of course, he doesn't know it yet. he's oblivious. so she has to point out the very obvious fact to stir his realization of his own feelings for you.

"...sounds to me like you've got a crush there." she teases sweetly.

satoru stops and stutters. "what... no! it's not like that..." he denounces. but his face is heating up, and he's got a boyish blush spreading down his face.

suguru 💗 すぐる

just like the pitch black coffee he drinks, suguru's got a deeply stained and abyssal-black attitude to life. lethargic, apprehensive, morose, apathetic, misanthropic. his mother feels a long-desired relief come over her heart as she slowly watches all of these things recede back out of his personality, slowly revealing who he truly is, the son she raised; a soft and gentle boy who needs tender love and care.

"...i think she'll be by the cafe today, studying. so i'll stop by... do you think it would it be cheesy of me to bring flowers? she said she likes tulips, and the florist nearby has some fresh ones..."

his mom's aged face looks at him thoughtfully. there's silence. "suguru..." she begins very slowly. he looks up with a lightened expression, a rarity to behold on her son's face. "it sounds like you're falling in love."

he goes silent and blinks blankly at her. was he falling in love? well... now that she said it, he realized it was true.

"oh..." he says in realization. he blinks. there's a curl of a smile on his lips. "uh... i guess so... huh."

"it's nice." his mom says with an earnest voice, "to see that weight lift from your shoulders. i'm glad you met someone like her."

armin 💗 アルミン

this blond cutie pie can't stop talking about you. he rambles and rambles, talks his mom's ears right off her head.

"... and she likes (...) and she said (...). and oh! oh! she also said that (...). ah and i had such a lame response..."

she knows basically everything about you. when you meet her in the future, she tells you "i've heard so much about you" but she really means it.

armin's doubtful about the idea of you sharing mutual feelings. his mom reassures him over and over, she likes you. she likes you. but he still finds it impossible to believe.

"she definitely likes you, from the sounds of things." his mom says.

"huh? no way... there's no way she'd like me back." he says with glum doubt.

she tilts her head at him. he looks so small and huggable when he's so glum. his eyes tear up when he gets too absorbed in thought about the idea of you not liking him back.

his mom always taps his shoulder when she notices him starting to brood on his feelings.

"don't be so doubtful, angel." she tells him.

he musters a fleeting smile. there's a small hope in his chest and he tries his best to consider the possibility that you like him just as much as he likes you.

© arminsumi

Do not plagiarize / repost / translate / copy layouts / etc.

Do not steal what I've worked hard to create.

[sweetandscarlet]

unrequited love | pt 4

notes: i missed this series sm,, hope you all enjoy :) the next part will be up soon, picking up straight after this chapter (wink wink).

words: 2.8k

warnings: 18+, stepmom!wanda, stepdaughter!reader, jealousy, angst and fluff, slight smut at the beginning of the chapter.

"have i mentioned how good you look in this pretty dress, detka?" your stepmother husked out at the shell of your ear, as her needy hands roamed your body, her movements possessive as she eventually settled on your hips. "i am so glad i got it for you"

you entrapped your bottom lip between your teeth, your head falling backwards against the wall that wanda was currently pinning you up against. you almost let out a groan as her lips shifted from your ear to the soft skin of your neck, her tongue swirling against it before taking some between full-red lips and sucking slightly.

"i believe you've mentioned it once or twice," you replied, a breathy laugh falling from your mouth. "but thank you, for the dress and the compliment"

wanda continued to suck and kiss at your neck, her tendencies wanton and desperate as she attempted to use up what little free time you had together to finally get her delicate hands on you.

"what are your plans for the day?" wanda asked, her lips shifting from your neck to place a kiss on your cheek. "i was wondering if you wanted to watch a movie with me?"

heat flushed at your face at the endearing action and you resisted the thought of hiding yourself in the crook of wanda's neck out of sheer embarrassment. "apart from studying for an hour or so, i guess I'd be all yours.. what movie did you have in mind?"

wanda grinned, the innuendo and the fact that she would finally get to spend quality time with you made butterflies fly wild in the pit of her stomach. “well that barbie movie you’ve been talking about released today, how about we watch that?”

you smiled brightly, nodding your head in response. before you could utter a word, you heard a muffled call of your name from the kitchen. rolling your eyes at the interruption from your father, you moved slightly to shuffle from wanda's hold.

"let him wait a second," wanda whispered, her hot breath hitting the flushed skin of your cheek as she returned to her previous exploit against your neck. the knots in your stomach tightened as you felt one of wanda's hands slip from your waist to move under the hem of your dress, slender fingers trailing gently up the inside of your thigh causing you to throb scarcely at the touch. "i've missed touching you, detka.. the way you feel under me, the way your tight cunt wraps around my fingers, how you beg for your momm-"

"coming dad!" you call out, quickly pushing wanda's wandering hand from under your dress and moving away from the close proximity of your stepmother's grasp. "god you're cruel," you groan, fixing the ruffles of the skirt. "i'm gonna go help dad, meet a few friends and i'll see you later after i study, okay?"

you lean forward, placing a kiss on wanda's now pouted lips and you can't help but giggle at her glum reaction. wanda sighs dramatically causing you to giggle once more before she mimics your actions and reciprocates another kiss, although this one lingers and you hum at the taste of her red lipstick.

"have a good day at work mama"

ᗢ 

as you stared down at the pages of your notebook, pen in hand, you could feel the words you had written previously start to scramble in your mind, as though the letters were singlehandedly moving themselves around on your paper. instantly, you knew to place your pen on your desk and close your notebook; so that's what you did, your hands moving to rub slightly at your weary eyes.

you glanced at the clock to your left, a plain black and white timepiece that wanda had purchased for you not so long ago. you were one to always let time pass you by, your mind seemingly blind to the hours as they slipped away from you. wanda, in all her caring and perceptive nature, noticed this immediately once your relationship started to flourish. thus resulting in the heartwarming reminder that hung on your wall.

thankfully you finished studying in time as you realised your stepmother would soon finish work and finally, your quality time together would begin. it was something that was quite rare in your day-to-day lives, whether it be your busy schedule, wanda's or both, you unfortunately didn't spend enough time together as you both hoped to.

so as you giggled excitedly to yourself, you walked away from your work desk and headed over to your closet, humming as you reached to pick out an outfit that would be in perfect comparison to the movie you were about to see, and also something you know that would drive wanda absolutley insane.

it didn't take long before you were ready, wanda's voice in the back of your mind rang through as you reminded yourself that you were on a time schedule. so, as you finished the final touches of your makeup, you moved to stand in front of the tall mirror in the corner of your room to get a good look of yourself.

you smiled meekly at your appearance, your eyes trailing over the cowl neck butterfly and floral midi dress and the black boots that you had paired with it. you had to admit, you did look easy on the eyes. the dress accented your chest perfectly and the slit in the bottom of the hem gave just enough view of the skin of your thigh to be modest yet playful.

wanda was going to love this.

just as you stepped over to your desk to check your phone, a text notification came through and you breathed deeply through your nose; your heart rate spiked scarcely as you felt the pit in your stomach swarm with nerves.

mama: hi darling girl, i've just stopped for gas. are you ready?

you smiled brightly at the nickname, the nerves in your stomach increasing ten-fold as you could practically hear wanda's raspy voice purr those words into the shell of your ear. shaking your head, you ignored that all-too-familiar dull ache between your legs and began typing back a response.

you: hi mommy, i'm ready! miss you so much, see you soon :)

you turned towards your bed and reached to grab your charming pink clutch bag that seemingly completed the outfit like a glove. you double-checked you had everything you needed before slipping your phone inside and heading downstairs to await the return of wanda.

ᗢ 

staring back at your reflection you smiled widely as you held up your phone in front of the restroom mirror. wanda kissed your cheek from behind you before slipping her arms around your waist and mimicking your smile. after hearing the shutter click from your camera go off, wanda squeezed at your hips gently before moving away.

"i like that, we look good malysh" wanda commented, observing the picture on your phone from over your shoulder. "i wish we could upload it but i guess having them for safekeeping will have to do for now.. will you send it to me?"

"of course mama," you mumbled back a reply, your fingers swiping through the preset filters until you happened upon one that you liked. "i wish we could upload it too, i want everyone to see how dashing you look in your pink in your suit"

the colour of wanda's suit jacket practically melted onto her skin as the redhead's cheeks flushed a hot pink at your words.

"oh shush, detka. look at yourself, you look absolutely ravish-"

your head turned in confusion, eager to know why wanda had suddenly cut off her own sentence. the mystery didn't last long as your eyes quickly averted to her phone and you immediately recognised a picture of you and kate from before your relationship took a turn with wanda.

the sokovians nostrils flared as she gazed back at a picture of you two kissing, her eyes glancing down at the caption that read 'missing my beaut right now, long distance is hard but you're more than worth it!'

"y/n.. what the fuck is this?" wanda gritted out as she tore her attention away from her phone to gape back at you. her pupils soon grew dark, what was once a beautiful striking sea of green was now quickly fading into black as rage brewed in wanda like a mad storm. "why is she posting pictures of you? was this- is this why you were too busy last friday? were you fucking her?"

your eyebrows shot up as your eyes widened in fear, your mouth turning dry as the accusation of wanda's words settled on your chest like bricks. "what? b-baby no! of course not. can we-" your eyes scanned around the restroom, your ears pricking up at any sound of possible eavesdroppers from inside the stalls. "can we please talk about this at home? not here, wands.. please"

the redhead's deadset stare continued to gaze into you, her stance not faltering even the slightest bit.

you directly stepped forward, and the hand that wasn't holding your now locked phone moved to cup one of wanda's cheeks. the heat of wanda's skin radiated against the palm of your hand and you didn't miss the way your stepmother nuzzled just slightly into your hold.

"mommy please," you whispered, stepping closer until you felt the material of wanda's pants suit rest against the soft skin of your thigh that peeked out through your slitted hem. "i promise you i have no idea why she posted that, it's an old picture.. plus i ended things with her, remember?"

the sokovian sighed heavily, her rigid posture relaxing as she recalled the conversation you had a few months ago regarding your relationship with kate and although you hated the fact that wanda was still a married woman, you understood the severity of her situation compared to yours.

"you're right detka, i'm sorry i-" wanda reached an arm around your waist, her slender fingers running up and down the small of your back. "-i didn't mean what i said. let's go get takeout and we can speak about this at home, yeah?"

you nodded meekly, the weight of your chest growing lighter by the second as you watched the redhead return to her usual state.

as you both left the theatres, your hand itched at your side as you felt the all too familiar urge to hold wanda's. it was something that nagged at you every time you were both out in public, the feeling never fading the more time passed and you knew wanda shared the same sentiment.

when you both pulled into the driveway, takeout in hand, you watched as wanda stepped out of the door of the drivers’ seat and swiftly made her way around the front of the car. your stepmother pulled open your door, reaching a hand out for you to take which you happily obliged to, a smile displaying itself on your lips at the endearing action.

entering the house you instantly smelled the cherry blossom scent that flowed through the house, courtesy of a candle you had previously lit while you were waiting for wanda's return mere hours earlier. clearly, it was money well spent on your end as the fragrance remained potent.

your home sojourned peacefully with only a quiet whistle of wind that came through the kitchen window, the sound growing more audible as you made your way through the swinging door to place the takeout bag on the kitchen counter.

"detka?" wanda's muffled voice called out from the other room, the click of her heels moving with vigour as she stepped through the door of the kitchen. "i really am sorry about what i said, it was stupid of me to become so jealous so quickly"

you sighed, the headache from earlier starting to display its aching annoyance in your already sensitive temples. as you rummaged through the takeout bag, your hand deftly separating yours and wanda's food, your mind jumped back to the prior conversation you had with kate. a conversation that was pivotal and much awaited.

"wait.. i don't understand? what are you saying?"

your head hung in shame as you sat opposite your soon-to-be ex-girlfriend. 

"i know it's a lot and may seem sudden but i've been feeling this way for a long time and i just- it's not fair on you nor myself. you deserve better than that kate, you deserve-"

"y/n just fucking spit it out! instead of beating around the bush like you always do, why not just say what you mean?"

your bottom lip started to tremble as you felt your eyes burning, the familiar tightening in your throat as unwelcome tears threatened to spill at her tone. "i'm sorry, i-" you cleared your throat, hoping the wavering in your voice would remain undetected. "we can't be together anymore"

"oh"

just that one simple word had you knowing that kate would never speak to you again, would never forgive you for this, and you didn't blame her. if the shoe was on the other foot, who knows? you'd probably think the same way.

"y/n?"

your head turned to your right, your eyes settling on your concerned stepmother. her eyebrows furrowed as she stepped closer, a warm hand resting itself gently on your forearm.

"sorry wands, i was just-" sighing once more, you took a step back, the action causing the redhead's hand to fall to her hip; you instantly read the hurt that flashed across her face. "kate said something a few months back.. that i don't say what i'm truthfully thinking and it really resonated with me"

wanda quirked an eyebrow at that, curiosity and apprehension resting their heavy weight on her chest like a bolder. "oh.. well i always want you to be honest with me, malysh"

breathing deeply through your nose, you redied yourself for the two possible outcomes for how your relationship with wanda could go after this nerve-wracking conversation.

"i love you"

the redhead's eyebrows shot up as the feeling in her chest faded away at the unsuspecting words.

"i love you and i would never in a million years want to hurt you or betray your trust. i don't know why kate did what she did, okay? maybe she was drunk or high when she did it? i don't know! but if you want us to work wanda, you have to trust me"

"i- you love me?" wanda muttered the question, her mind swirling with endearment as she stepped closer to you, her now taut throat struggling to swallow the hard pill of regret for her dubiety towards you. "detka i- i love you too, and i am so, so sorry for letting jealousy cloud my judgment. i guess i'm just too afraid to lose you, your father is a good man but.. you're the best thing that's happened to me in a long time"

you felt your heart contract at wanda's words, the beat of it skipping slightly before switching to a racing pace that had your head spinning. all you could think to do was practically throw yourself at the redhead; your arms immediately wrapping around her suited torso as you nuzzled your head against her chest.

wanda sighed at the contact, all of her anxiety and tension completely melting away as she settled against your touch. she let one hand rest against the back of your head and the other against the small of your back, her delicate fingers stroking softly against the material of your dress.

"does this mean you forgive me?" wanda husked out, a hint of a timorous tone in her voice as she broached the question.

you moved your head away slightly from the comfort of her chest to tilt your head up scarcely. you reached up on your tiptoes ever so slightly to place a kiss against the flushed skin of her cheek, "of course it does, you doofus!"

a smile itched at wanda's lips, her mind swirling with gratuity and adoration as she stared down at you. "i'm glad.. because i really don't like it when you're mad at me"

a chuckle escaped your lips, your hot breath hitting the sharp line of wanda's jaw. "you're just a big ol' softie, aren't you?"

you heard wanda gasp dramatically above you, causing you to chuckle once again. "hey, less of the old! i'm only thirty-two"

"fine, you're just a big softie" you giggled as you stepped back from the warmth of wanda's hold, "can we save the takeout for later? i'm not so hungry anymore. maybe we could have a few glasses of wine and play a board game or something?"

a grin displayed against wanda's plump red lips and you noticed her eyes darken slightly as the wheels turned in her mind.

"how about we save drinks and games for when we finish eating? i have something better in mind.."

[grapefives]

FUN IS LOGICAL | HC

senku x gn!reader

set in ishigami village + volleyball player reader + fluff + light angst + light humor

as we know, senku isn’t very… sporty… fit… mm

“I’M DONE!” he heaves as he lays flat on the ground.

you huff, “we haven’t even started a match! all we’ve done is teach you the stances and-“

you go quiet when you know he isn’t even listening, his body is literally still as a dead body.

with a defeated, glum sigh, you walk away, teasingly walking over him to who knows where.

for certain, he’ll go back to his blueprints and try to please everyone except you.

first he saves ruri, then works night and day to prove how good his intellect is. it’s tiring, being on the side line.

speaking of side lines, you missed doing everything in your power to not have the ball go there.

you missed the thrill of running around, tensing your muscles for the ball’s impact and making up strategies to win

you sigh at the fond memory.

“so,” you jolt at someone’s voice, not having realized you were sitting on a rock and staring into space.

“kohaku,” you say with a gentle smile, not really in the mood to talk to anyone.

“what’s wrong? you seem pretty defeated, did you fight with senku?”

“hm? no, no we didn’t fight,” you shake your head.

“then?”

you turn to stare at her, fondly. “i don’t know man-“

“i’m a woman!”

“-i just miss playing volleyball. the thrill of it all. scraping your knees, your elbows when you fall from saving the ball. knocking into a groupmate and just… spending hours playing with friends… being competitive… i miss that.”

“volleyball…” kohaku mumbles, “is a game? sounds like a battle.”

you laugh, “almost! a battle to win and.. ah man,”

“woman.”

“i miss it.” you say, staring up into the sky. “i ask senku for just a moment…” you frown, “he has his own thing, something he loves. i don’t mind helping him, i know this is the best for humanity but, i just wish i had volleyball as my escape again.”

kohaku frowns, “what’s stopping you?”

you give her a look, “i don’t really have anyone to play with, senku made this ball for me and just gave it to me like he’s trying to get rid of a child.”

“that’s rude.”

“i guess,” you shrug.

“i still don’t get how you to are together,” she says honestly.

you smile, “me neither.”

she sees you sigh, looking anywhere with a saddened smile. “you know,” she starts, “while everyone appreciates the new things senku is showing and providing us, there’s no harm in learning games. after all, it’s something someone invented, right? something for people to also enjoy?”

you stare at her, surprised at this. “well.. yes-“

“then teach us! there’s lot’s of people in the village that would love a good competition! i’m sure sure of us warriors would be up for it!”

“are you serious?” you asks, heart racing with excitement.

“duh.”

and you stand up, following her back to the village. you see senku once more in his little world, a world you barely fit in.

but that’s okay, you’re looking forward to something more.

“volleyball!” you hear kohaku yell, “i dare you all to learn it and play!”

“hey, don’t force them-“ you try.

“it’s a game!” she grins.

“we have responsibilities, kohaku,” one of the warriors said.

“we could take a break,” another one says, “it’s pretty quiet today. “plus, games bring on challenges, no?” he asks you.

“well, yes. absolutely.” you smile, hoping you could at least round up four people.

“i’m down for a challenge!” another pipes up.

and soon, you got your six people, you and kohaku included. it was enough for you.

they were pretty good at listening and executing the practices and the stances. before long, they were ready to play.

it was so exiting, you’re pretty sure you were smiling the whole time, but your face doesn’t hurt.

what made you feel even better was that everyone else was enjoying it! two rounds later and a crowd started to form, mostly kids and teens but there was cheering and clapping.

you were soaring. and your team won.

“alright! guys! it’s getting dark!” gen says with a clap.

“that was great!” you laughed, drenched in sweat.

“water,” kohaku gasped.

“get your water over here please,” gen yells.

“good game guys! y’all learned fast!” you said as everyone ran towards gen.

“or you’re good at teaching,” senku’s voice came from behind.

you tensed, unsure whether to be petty or forgive him for his lack of attention and affection.

“maybe,” you end up saying. you don’t pay him more mind as you try to walk over to gen.

“here,” senku says, grabbing your arm with one hand and the other shoves water in your face.

“oh,” you take it awkwardly. “thanks.”

he stares at you before furiously wiping his hand on his coat.

you spit out the water you were gulping down. “you’re still disgusted with my sweat!?”

he makes a face, “why wouldn’t i be? you’re so sweaty!”

“senku, no one told you to touch me!”

“well i wanted to!” he pauses, “plus, we’re dating.”

“yet you still hate when i’m sweaty.”

“it’s unhygienic.”

you rolls you eyes. and the two of you are enveloped in a slightly stiff silence.

“it’s been a while since i’ve seen you like that.”

“three thousand seven hundred years.” you say casually as you gulp down the rest of the water.

he stares at you, a look you can’t quite decipher. “yeah.” he scratches his neck, looking away. “i’ve always liked seeing you play.” he pauses, “i hope you had fun.”

you stare at him for a second. then you smile, “i did.”

“sorry i suck at that. i know you’re upset.”

“it’s fine, guess it’s just been so long since i’ve seen you that i really wanted to spend time with you.”

“can’t fault you for that.” he says, sparing you a glance. he almost seems ashamed.

“you hungry?” you ask.

he’s about to shake his head but he remembers he hasn’t eaten all day. instead, worked and every now and then watched you play.

as he watched you eye a food cart, he remembers how the two of you would eat at one after school, especially after your practices.

with a smile, he nods and takes your hand, which you grin at.

[drpeppertummy]

epic teddy post-werewoof tummyache event

[post-extreme stuffing, bellyache, belly rubs, a hint of burst teasing]

"Teddy! Teddy, wake up!"

Teddy groaned, his limp hands instinctively going to his belly. His belly was the first thing he could feel, aching sharply, nearly bursting, stuffed well beyond capacity with god knows what. He felt damp grass under his back, a warm hand patting his cheek. Cool breeze, hot sun. A ladybug crawling over his bare leg. Messy hair clinging to his clammy face. Dried mud on his feet. And his belly, drum-tight under his hands, bulging hard against his normally loose shirt, pulling it taut around his distended middle and straining the buttons.

"Teddy, can you hear me?" He opened his eyes, then shut them again, wincing at the harsh sunlight. It was Luna, of course; he didn't need to see her to know that. He opened his bone-dry mouth to respond and a strained burp came out instead, leaving a foul taste in the back of his throat. He grimaced. He felt a cautious hand on his belly and a pained whimper escaped him; even that tiny bit of pressure was too much. The hand pulled away quickly.

"Jesus, Teddy, what did you eat?" That was a good question. He had no idea. He knew that whatever it was had been more than enough to fill a stomach larger than the one he had now, leaving his poor human tummy stuffed to bursting with heaps of meat and bones and garbage and whatever else he'd eaten in his ravenous werewolf state. He vaguely remembered how it had felt to change back, his belly stretching and straining around the massive meal as he shrank back down, aching horribly as his stomach struggled desperately not to split open.

"Oh, my belly," he moaned, his voice hoarse.

"Yeah, no shit, your belly. You look like you're about to explode. Can you move?"

"Do I have to?" He squinted up at her. She was still in her pajamas, likely having come out to look for him when she realized he wasn't home.

"I guess not," she said. "You're in the yard. Probably better if you don't, honestly." He couldn't argue with that. He didn't think his tightly-straining belly could handle any movement right now. He was so full he could barely breathe; moving was out of the question. Luna gently placed both hands on his belly again. It was rock solid, pushing out hard, bulging at the sides, twitching softly with each shallow breath.

"Listen, Teddy, I know it hurts, but I think your tummy needs some help," she said, rubbing carefully. Again, he couldn't argue. It didn't feel like his overtaxed stomach was digesting anything, too overwhelmed by the absurd quantity of food inside it to break anything down. If he left everything sitting in there undigested for too long, it might start to ferment inside him, and then he really might burst. The thought made him feel a little ill. As Luna cautiously massaged, though, the unbearable pressure began to ease up, albeit very, very slowly. His belly gurgled and groaned as it finally began to wake up and work at the jumble of poorly-chewed clutter.

"Is it getting any better?" asked Luna, still rubbing, pressing in as gently as she could as she tried to knead some life into his stomach.

"A little," said Teddy. A big gurgle rumbled up inside him, and he burped. It didn't help much, but it certainly didn't hurt, either.

"We're gonna have to start locking you up or something," she said. "Your poor belly can't take this kind of abuse." He looked away sheepishly, and she gently ruffled his hair.

"Hey, don't look so glum. You're not gonna explode today." She gave his distended side an affectionate pat. "We'll have you up and moving again in no time, then you can come inside and get some rest, alright?"

"Alright," agreed Teddy, smiling meekly. "Thanks, Luna."

[rafyki]

Goth! Nico/ Surfer! Percy AU Part 6!

Sorry for the little wait, I couldn't find a moment to write lately o<-< good thing I had this half written already! Anyway, have some more Nico&Leo dynamics and some more pining - and also, I promise things are gonna move forward soon!! (but I needed more setup before our two boys finally start properly acting on their crush lmao)

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

You can also read it on AO3!!

~~~~~~

Percy didn't come to the beach the next day, the day after that, and for the whole following week.

Nico wasn't sulking about it, he was not. Maybe panicking a little inside, questioning every single word they had said to each other and trying to find in them some hidden reason that would push Percy to never go back there and leave the country just to make sure he wouldn't see Nico again. 

But he wasn't sulking.

“Take that pouty look off your face, goth boy, you're gonna scare the customers away”.

“I’m not pouting”.

“You kind of are though”, Leo said. “Which is fair, I guess, you miss your surfer boy”.

Nico felt a blush coming up to his face at the same time of the familiar find annoyance he associated with no one but Leo.

“He's not my-”, he started, then stopped and took a deep breath. “I'm not pouting”, he just said again. “It's not like he lives on the beach, right, he must have a life outside of surfing”.

Maybe he was trying to convince himself more than Leo, but that didn't matter.

The way his eyes moved around scanning the beach was automatic, as was the sigh that escaped him. Maybe he was being silly, and a little pathetic - he knew that, but still couldn’t help the way his heart kept falling again and again, nor the way the empty chair before him (Percy’s chair) seemed to lay in wait just like Nico was.

He definitely needed to find some way to distract himself.

“Sure, which is why I told you to ask for his number”, Leo replied. “And if you had listened to my genius advice, maybe you could be texting him right now, instead of sulking and hoping he shows up”.

“Why are you even here, Leo?”, he said, ignoring Leo’s last words and trying instead to change the subject. “Jason’s not coming today, you know that”.

“Am I not allowed to visit a friend? My dear friend who’s pining and suffering and definitely needs my support?”, Leo said, accompanying his dramatic words with an overdramatic hand on his heart. 

Nico just rolled his eyes at him.

“I definitely don't”, he said, even though the truth was that he actually enjoyed the company. Leo’s presence was the only thing saving him from a long and lonely work day. “And non-shift days for Jason are usually when you have your dates”, he added.

“I knoow”, Leo said, a pout forming on his lips. “But Thalia came back yesterday, so today is their brother-and-sister date”.

“Ah, that’s right, Jason did mention that”.

“Can’t interfere with siblings time”.

“So you had nothing better to do today and came here”.

“I came here to save you from your loneliness, goth boy”, Leo said. “Also, I do enjoy your company”.

Nico smiled, and offered him ice cream as a silent thanks. 

“It reminds me of when it was the other way around and you helped me when I was pining for Jason”.

Nico made a face at the memory, then laughed. “Oh my god, you were terrible- absolutely pathetic”, he said. “Thank god you’re together now”.

“Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m gonna say when you and your surfer boy will finally get together”.

Nico’s smile faltered, his heart jumping and then growing heavy at the words - like it couldn’t decide if he felt more pleased at the idea of it ever happening or more glum at the prospect of Percy never going back there.

Few long moments of silence followed, and Nico’s mind went back to the thoughts tormenting him.

And there was also something else, something that Nico was trying not to focus too much about. 

Leo looked at Nico in silence for a while, his cheek resting on the palm of his hand. Nico could almost see the gears turning in his head. “Are you worried about him?”

Nico looked away. He felt stupid thinking about it even more than he did when panicking and making everything probably bigger than it was. 

Logically speaking, it was unlikely that Percy would stop coming to the beach just because Nico was there - there wasn't really anything between them, after all and, from what Nico knew about him, the ocean and surfing were way too important for Percy to give up. 

But it had been a week, and Percy usually came at least two or three times a week, even just for an hour (Nico spent way too much time thinking about him and looking for him to not notice this) - yet, there the beach was, full of people but with no Percy in sight. Nico felt his heart fall again as he scanned the shore around him, looking for familiar black hair and beautiful eyes. He couldn't help but wonder if something had happened, if Percy was doing alright.

“You know he might just be busy”.

“I know”.

“So I think there's no reason for you to worry about him”.

Nico sighed. “I hate it when you make sense”, he said. “Jason is definitely rubbing off of you”.

“That's what love does to a man!”

Nico felt that now familiar pang of not-quite-jealousy as he looked at the smile growing on his friend's face. His eyes scanned the beach again as the thought of I want that too crossed his mind, side by side with the image of two sea-green eyes and a soft smile.

~~~

Nico didn’t expect anything to happen. He spent the whole day waiting and waiting in the hope of Percy showing up, his heart feeling heavier and heavier with every passing hour. 

The truth was that, simply put, he missed Percy - which was stupid and ridiculous, but Nico had been dying to talk to him again, to feel his eyes on himself again, to be on the receiving end of his smile, to get to know something more about him.

He’ll come back at some point, he told himself. Maybe. 

The sun was coming down, the sky colored a pretty shade of yellow and orange and red. The day had felt infinite, time dragging on and simply refusing to pass by, but Nico’s shift was finally almost over. He looked at his phone to check the time, wishing the next fifteen minutes would simply come to an end faster.

He cursed all the gods of all the pantheons ever existed when he saw someone sitting before him. God, how he hated when customers did that.

He forced his usual work smile on his lips and looked up. Then did a double take - the girl sitting in front of him looked strangely familiar, even though he was pretty sure he didn’t actually know her.

All the while taking her order (just a cold water bottle - who even came to a beach kiosk at that hour to ask for nothing but a water bottle?) Nico kept thinking and wondering; maybe she just came there often? But there was something about her that kept pulling at Nico’s memory.

It hit him at once when she was handing him the money to pay.

Ah, it was her. The girl who usually came to the beach with Percy. Nico felt his heart starting to beat faster at the realization.

Would it be weird to ask her about Percy?

Yes it would!, his mind yelled at him. 

But at the same time, every cell in his body was telling him that it didn’t matter, that this was too much of a lucky chance to just let it pass by.

Lost in his thoughts like that, he was definitely taking way more time than necessary to get her change.  

He was worried, he missed Percy so much it was frankly absurd. And he thought his friends would probably back him up in this

“Here”, he said, as he finally handed her her change.

She thanked him and went to turn around. “Uhm!”, Nico started before he could really think about it and stop himself. “Excuse me-”

She turned to look at him again. Was Nico imagining the weird look in her eyes? Yes, she was probably simply annoyed at being called back. “Yes?”

“Ah- sorry”, Nico said, feeling so incredibly stupid. Maybe he should just back out. But then he thought of the long day he had had and of the hole he had felt the whole time. He pushed the words out.

“Uhm, you’re a friend of Percy, right?”

“Yes”, the girl said, nodding. This time Nico was almost certain that there was a weird look in her eyes that he couldn’t exactly interpret - but she looked more curious than anything else, so he counted it as a sign he could go on.

“I just- I just noticed he hasn’t been coming here lately…?”, he said, trying and failing to will his heart to calm down a little. “... is he alright?”

“Oh yeah, he’s been talking about you!”, she replied. “He’s alright, he’s just out of town. He went to New York to visit his mum”.

“Ah, that’s good”. 

The relief was soon pushed aside when the words the girl had said finally hit him.

He’s been talking about you.

What?

He only vaguely registered the girl saying goodbye and waving at him before leaving.

Nico waved back, feeling numb. He hoped his expression wasn’t as dumbstruck as he felt.

He’s been talking about you.

Percy had been talking about him? Nico’s heart was playing athletics in his chest, the butterflies taking residence in his stomach were throwing the most chaotic party ever.

He’s been talking about you.

He put his face in his hands, hiding behind his palms the foolish happy smile that was growing on his lips.

Suddenly, the day didn’t feel as bad as before.

[mousy-nona]

Two's Company (Three's a Crowd)

In which Lilith makes Lucifer an offer he finds hard to refuse, and Alastor has to figure out just how far he'll go to keep him.

Or, Alastor deals with Feelings, breaks into the Sistine Chapel, and causes an international (inter-Ring?) crisis.

NOTE: A few mentions of Helluva Boss characters in here. I don't watch the show, so apologies if I got anything wrong!

Alastor knew something was wrong the second Lucifer clumped downstairs. It didn’t take a genius to figure it out; his body language was practically screaming I’m in a bad mood! Comfort me! His face was pale – even paler than usual – and he stumbled into three different doors before finally giving up on the whole ordeal and flopping onto the couch. 

With a sigh, he summoned the darkness and willed himself to appear standing over Lucifer, casting a long shadow over his face. 

“Why so glum, old chum?” 

Lucifer turned even whiter and waved him away, rolling to his side to avoid his gaze. “S’nothing,” he muttered.

Odd. Usually he would bite back. Determined to get some sort of reaction, Alastor hummed and drummed relentlessly on the top of his white top hat. “Let’s see. Why is his Majesty upset today? Another duck explosion?” He paused. Silence. “So no adorable toys were harmed in the making of today’s tragedy. Perhaps something to do with Charlie?”

A flinch this time. He was getting warmer. 

“Charlie and the hotel? Charlie and the angels? Charlie and her big break up?”

“What? ” Lucifer bolted straight up, his eyes saucer-big. 

“...a break up that never happened, of course. I had to make sure you were still listening!”

He narrowed his eyes. “You are one sadistic asshole, has anyone told you that?” 

“Constantly,” Alastor said, his voice deep with pride. “So are you going to tell me what’s on your mind, or am I going to have to make a few more educated guesses of my own?”

Lucifer sighed, rummaged through his pocket, and handed a piece of paper to Alastor. He’d clearly read it a thousand times over – the thing was crumpled, dog-eared, and folded over and over again. The smell of plum blossoms and gunpowder wafted over him as he carefully read the note.

Come up top. Tonight at sunset, the Sistine Chapel. Heaven has an offer for you. You may be able to fly with the angels again. -Kisses, L

“L…” Alastor’s eyes widened. “Lilith?” 

Lucifer nodded, draping one arm over his eyes. “Lilith,” he said. His voice was distant, faraway. As if he was already out of Alastor’s reach. 

A sharp pain like a gunshot ripped through his chest, so sudden he thought the hunter had come back a hundred years later to finish the job. 

“Alastor?” Lucifer was staring at him.

“Yes?” 

“What are you doing?” 

Alastor glanced down at the couch – where his hand was clamped tightly over Lucifer’s wrist. He hissed and forced himself to let go, staring at his traitor hand in bewilderment. 

“Are you going to go?” 

“She is my wife, Al,” Lucifer sighed. “And her offer sounds like an interesting one, to say the least.” 

His wife. Of course, Alastor had known Lucifer was married. But it was the first time it had seemed like anything more than a running joke. To think there was someone else Lucifer might belong to… He grit his teeth, his claws cutting deep into his palms. 

Alastor did not share. Never had. 

Especially not with selfish she-demons who abandoned their families at the drop of a hat.

Should have taken better care of your husband, Lilith. 

“Are you sure that’s the best idea?” he asked, keeping his voice neutral. “What if it’s a trick?” 

“She wouldn’t do such a thing,” Lucifer said, quick to jump to the traitor’s defense. He frowned, as if Alastor was the one in the wrong. “She’s not like that.” 

That pain again. Alastor’s hand twitched, half-tempted to rip his heart out and be done with these annoying, needless emotions for good. He’d managed to live a hundred and thirty delightful years without this pain, amusing himself with deals, with blood and bone and screams. Laughing at the trials and tribulations of lesser demons from a distance, where nothing and no one could affect him. 

Then Lucifer and this damned hotel had come along. They’d changed…things. 

And after all that, Lucifer thought he was going to walk away from all of it? From him? 

The shadows roared to life by his side. Reality glitched, light bent, green lightning flashed, trapping the two of them in a dimension of their own. One of his tendrils shot out, intending to cage Lucifer in further, but he missed and smashed through the top of the couch instead. 

He missed. He didn’t miss. Ever. What the Hell was going on with him?

Your control is slipping, his shadow whispered delightedly in his ear. What next? Are you going to beg? Go all sappy and tell him you –

“Never,” he whispered. 

“Alastor! What the Hell is going on with you?” Lucifer barked, backing away from the gaping hole his tendrils had left behind. Alastor whipped towards him, and Lucifer blanched. “You...are you okay?”

He could see his own crazed eyes, his wild, out-of-control grin reflected back at him in Lucifer’s concern. He took a few deep breaths, getting his voice under control before he said, “I don’t think you should go.”

Lucifer paused, then shook his head. “I have to. I have to know what she wants.” 

“Fine.” Alastor snarled, one of his shadow tendrils snapping uncontrollably at the air. One of them crashed into the couch, snapping it in two, and nearly tore the floor in half. “Do as you please.”

Then he called his shadows, and melted away before Lucifer could say another word.

Unwilling to spend another second under the same roof as that sad excuse for a king, Alastor headed to the one place he knew he could find a kindred spirit – Rosie’s.

The second she saw the look on his face, she wheeled out an assortment of her best treats – ladyfingers, blood pudding, buck’s eyes, and ladies’ navels – and poured him a pot of her finest tea.

“What’s the occasion?” Alastor asked.

“Does there need to be an occasion for me to pamper my friend?”

“Rosie,” Alastor said, and she stopped bustling about. His voice sounded tired even to his own ears, scraped clean of his usual boisterous gentlemanly artifice. “What’s the occasion?” 

“You look like you need it,” Rosie said, her brow raised as she gave him a significant once-over. “To be honest, sweets, you look like shit.” 

“You have such a way with words,” he sighed, plopping down on an empty chair and helping himself to a few buck’s eyes. They squished delightfully between his teeth, but he couldn’t taste anything past the sour disgust in his mouth. Disgust with Lucifer, for running back to Lilith the second she called. Disgust with himself, for caring .

“So what did Lucifer do?” 

He nearly spat out the eye, half-chewed cornea and all. “What makes you think–?”

“Sweetheart.” Rosie leaned forward as she popped a ladyfinger into her mouth. “I don’t pretend to know or understand what’s going on between you and Lucifer, but I wasn’t born yesterday. Of course it’s him. You only get that funny little twitch in your eye when he’s involved.”

It was getting worse and worse. Now he was predictable too. The thread of his sanity bent and stretched perilously thin. Like a sailor being pitched this way and that in a storm, he scrabbled for something, anything to hold onto, and eventually managed to calm himself down by thinking of increasingly creative deaths for the angel. No Lucifer, no more pesky feelings. He’d be able to return to his old self. Impenetrable. Cold. Unfeeling.

You know it’s too late for that, his shadow, his honest half, whispered in his ear. 

I’ll kill you too, he promised the shadow. 

“Oh, it’s nothing,” he trilled. His voice was strained, he sounded half mad. “Lucifer is meeting his wife on Earth, that’s all. It sounds like she’s trying to take him back to Heaven.” 

Rosie’s cup clattered onto the table and shattered. Shards of glass and Gluttony’s finest tea flew everywhere, but she didn’t even flinch. “Is that possible?”

He shrugged. “You’ll have to ask Lilith.”

“Leaving you here…in Hell.” Understanding dawned over her face.

“Please, Rosie! I’ve done quite well for myself for a hundred years without him, I daresay I’ll go another hundred without sparing him another thought.”

One of his shadow minions tottered over with another cup. She accepted it gratefully, poured herself some more tea, and sipped at it, staring at him over the rim. He steeled himself. Rosie always had something unpleasant to say when she was giving him The Look.

“Alastor, I’ve known you since the day you dropped into Hell. And no matter what this odd place has thrown at you, you’ve cut through it all with a smile. This is no different. It’s another kind of trial, to be sure, but you’ve never run away from something before.” “I am not running away ,” Alastor hissed, annoyed at the mere implication.

“Oh? What would you call this then? Having tea with an old friend while someone else comes in and steals what’s yours?���

He narrowed his eyes. “Why should I care about what Lucifer does?” 

She scoffed. “There’s no one else here but you and me, Alastor. You can admit it here.”

“Admit what?” The world glitched and the light flickered, turning red, then green, then yellow. His voice was monstrous, split into four different harmonies and overlaid with heavy static. 

Rosie continued on, completely unaffected by his display of power. “You may not love in the same way that the Princess does, but the king has won a special piece of your heart, hasn’t he?”

“I do not lo–”

She cut him off, skewering him with a hard stare. “How long has it taken for you to find him? And do you really think if you lose him, you’ll be able to find someone so important to you ever again?” She laughed and took another calm sip of tea, completely unimpressed by the massive shadow of antlers and teeth bristling in front of her. “I always knew you were destined for great things, but to find a partner in the Morning Star? You’ve outdone yourself this time.” 

Alastor shrunk into himself until he was back to his normal, strawberry-suited shape. “I don’t need him,” he snarled.

“No, you don’t need him. But do you really think you’ll be happy with him gone?” 

Unbidden, a tidal wave of memories came crashing down on him. Lucifer yelping as he accidentally sat on one of Alastor’s unfortunate meal choices, Lucifer destroying every one of his radios in the hotel as revenge, Lucifer gagging when he joined him for dinner one day, Lucifer’s annoyed taunts, Lucifer’s shock when he accidentally-on-purpose snuck in a compliment, Lucifer’s broad smile, Lucifer, Lucifer .

You’ve never run away before. Don’t run away from this. 

“No,” he whispered. Rosie’s smile widened until it nearly cracked her face in two.

“Good. Now, you mentioned they were going to Earth?”

He nodded, struck momentarily mute by the strange emotions twisting and roaring in his chest. 

“I happen to know of a certain someone who might be able to get you there.”

Alastor gripped the grimoire in one hand, ignoring the screaming pain that made itself known every time he stepped forward. The portal had been surprisingly easy to create once he’d gotten his hands on the grimoire. It transported him to the front doors of the Sistine Chapel without a hitch – which was good, since Stolas had turned one of his arms and who knew what else to stone. 

That crazy owl, he thought, there was no need for all that fuss. I was only borrowing it. 

The sun dipped low in the horizon, casting a heavenly orange glow over the grandiose halls of the chapel. He’d never had a chance to visit when he was a human, and a part of him marveled at the beauty of it. Truly a pinnacle of human achievement. 

He would appreciate it more, if his feet didn’t feel like they were slowly being roasted over a pit. The holy power in the building was strong, and he felt it sapping away at his demonic energy like hungry parasites. His arm was growing heavier and heavier with each passing second. The distinct taste of iron tickled the back of his throat.

But Alastor plowed on. Left, right, right, left, until he finally came to a hall much greater than the others. 

Voices, one cold and high, and the other so familiar it made his chest ache, filtered through the door. He put one hand on the flat wood, ignoring the fire that blazed through his body as it did its best to exorcise him back to Hell, and pushed.

Lilith turned around first, her cold eyes widening when she took in his antlers, his sentient microphone, his razor sharp teeth. “A demon? Here?” 

Lucifer turned then, and a whirlwind of emotions flashed across his face. First disbelief, then anger, and finally pure, bright happiness . It made Alastor’s skin prickle. He wanted to bully him relentlessly so he could never smile like that again.

He had always liked dirty things. Liked to smudge and ruin and tear until the good was shattered in two. Lucifer was proving quite a challenge – despite spending the entirety of the universe trapped amongst sinners, despite being separated from everything good and holy, despite his depression and his growing disbelief, there was something about him that was still pure .

Alastor wanted to ruin him. 

“Apologies for barging in without an invite–”

But his big speech was ruined by Lucifer, who took a step towards him, his eyes shining. Lilith was watching them both through narrowed eyes. 

“You came,” he said, his eyes shining. “You actually came.” 

“Don’t read too much into it,” Alastor grumbled, knowing he would anyways. 

“How did you manage–?”

“Let’s get into it later.” Alastor raised his chin, staring Lilith in the eye. It was foolish, he knew. Even without the consecrated ground sapping at his demonic power and burning him alive, he was exhausted from his battle with the Goetic Prince. Roughly a third of his body had been turned to stone. He was in no shape to take on the Queen of Hell.

But he was here now. It was too late for regrets. 

“What are you doing here?” Lilith asked, sounding more curious than anything. 

“Merely an interested party. Please, continue with your meeting. I apologize for my rude interruption.” 

Lucifer drifted closer, his eyes widening when he saw Alastor’s ripped clothes. Alastor straightened, doing his best to look as normal as possible. 

“Apology accepted.” Lilith turned to Lucifer. “So, what do you think of the proposal?” 

“It’s an offer of a lifetime,” Lucifer chuckled, one eye on Alastor, always Alastor. Despite the massive amounts of pain he was in, he felt a sizzle of pleasure crawl up his spine. “I thought I was banished until the end of this world.” 

“Things are changing. Charlie’s little experiment is making the higher ups nervous. They’ve decided they might need your help to set things right. And if you play your part, well…who knows what might be possible?” She held out her hand. To anyone other than Alastor, she might look like the posterchild of sweetness, of love. But he was a master manipulator, and he could recognize a well-crafted mask when he saw one. 

Lucifer closed his eyes, indecision warring across his face. 

“We can both go to Heaven, Lu. We can be together again.” 

“Stay.” 

Lucifer’s eyes shot open and he whirled around to stare disbelievingly at Alastor. Lilith’s gaze shot to him too, the first flickers of anger cracking her mask. Alastor ignored her, keeping his gaze steady on Lucifer.

“Stay in Hell.” He’d rather get fully petrified by Stolas than say the next part, but he knew he must. Alastor the Radio Demon did not run away. Taking a deep breath, he choked out, “Stay with me.” 

If he had been human, the radiance that shone from Lucifer would have been bright enough to melt his corneas. Lucifer stepped fully towards him – turning his back on his wife. 

“I’m sorry, Lilith,” he murmured as he raised his hand, wonderingly, towards Alastor’s cheek. Alastor flinched, but forced himself to stay still as Lucifer ran one gentle finger down a scratch he hadn’t noticed was there. The flesh knitted together, the skin stitching clean. He smiled at Alastor, and Alastor was seized with the strange urge to bite it off. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m happy where I am.”

“What?” She stuttered, looking uncertain for the first time. “But you hate the sinners! You’re miserable down there!”

Lucifer laughed. “I was miserable up there too. And you know, they’re not all bad.” He looped one hand around Alastor’s waist as they headed for the door. “They don’t leave me for a year without a single word, for instance.” 

The door snapped shut with a satisfying thump on Lilith’s shell shocked expression. 

“Man, I’ve been dying to say that one for months. Did you see the stupid look on her face?” Lucifer crowed. Alastor let out a weak chuckle, struggling desperately to keep his feet underneath him. Now that the danger was over and the adrenaline was leaving his system, it was getting harder and harder to keep his legs moving. The weaker he grew, the more the holy energy gnawed at him. 

With a whoosh, he felt his stone foot go limp. He staggered into Lucifer, who caught him easily. His eyes widened, his hands tightening around Alastor’s shivering body.

“That’s right, this is consecrated ground,” Lucifer swore. “How did you get in, anyways? There should be wards for that kind of thing. And how the fuck are you still standing?” 

“Surely you’re not asking me to reveal my secrets?” Alastor managed, swallowing hard past the stone his stomach had become. 

“Come on, I can’t open a portal while we’re still inside. There’s an exit nearby. You should feel better once we’re off the grounds.” 

Lucifer picked up the pace, heading determinedly towards a small door Alastor had completely missed the first time around. 

“But seriously, how did you get on Earth? You can’t make portals, and you don’t have –” 

His voice trailed off when Alastor held up a blue-bound book with a giant gold moon stamped on the cover. Stolas’s grimoire.

“ Are you insane ?” 

Alastor coughed, and a line of red streamed down the corner of his mouth. “It would have been rather easy, except the imp’s owl-friend happened to be in the room when I arrived. Unfortunate timing, that.”

Lucifer paused, his face going slack with an odd mixture of worry and fascination. “You took on a Goetic Prince? For me?”

“It wasn’t as difficult as I imagined it would be. I’ve faced Overlords with more grit.” Again, he coughed, and more blood started flowing. “But there may or may not be an international crisis waiting for you back home.”

“Fuck the crisis. Are you alright?”

“I’ll be fine.” Lucifer’s concern rankled. He was Alastor, for Hell’s sake. The Radio Demon, the strongest Overlord Pentagram City had ever seen. Even with his power half-shackled, he wasn’t some weak little imp that had to be coddled. “Stolas was too busy worrying about his favorite little pipsqueak to get off more than a few shots.”

Lucifer eyed the blood splattered down his front, but wisely decided against commenting further. As soon as they were off of sacred ground, Alastor started breathing easier. Lucifer summoned a portal and grabbed his hand to fly them into it – his left hand. 

Lucifer yelped. “You – did your hand get turned into stone ?”

He shrugged. “Hand…and a few other things.” Lucifer looked horrified. “‘Tis but a flesh wound.” 

“You–” Lucifer stopped, as if words failed to describe exactly how much of a lunatic Alastor was. “I gave up Heaven for you.” He said it slowly, as if he was testing the words, feeling out their price.

“I hope you’re not getting buyer’s remorse. It’s a bit too late for that.” 

Quick as a flash, Lucifer grabbed Alastor’s neck and wrenched their mouths together. It wasn’t sweet. It was rough and desperate and bloody, and Alastor finally, finally let his instinct go free and slashed at Lucifer’s lips with his razor teeth. The golden blood that dripped from the shallow cuts was, for lack of a better word, heavenly. 

Like burning ambrosia. A cloying warmth that bit and blazed while it healed. It made him shiver with delight. For this taste alone, he would blast through Stolas’s palace a hundred times. 

When they broke away, Lucifer’s eyes were flames. “Never,” he breathed. Then he cracked his knuckles, his six wings flaring wide. 

“But I do think I have a Prince of Hell to visit.” 

[montammil]

June of Doom Day 17 - "You don't want to do that."

| Struggle | Blackmail | Desperate Measures |

Characters: Rowan, Sawyer

I think this counts for desperate measures?

Also I got a little too into this writing and got some ideas for making a similar scene like this canon soon >:D If it looks like I rushed at the end you're totally just imagining things (spoiler: yes i did end up rushing the ending--)

CW: Heavily implied noncon, yandere/intimate whumper, forced marriage, depressed whumpee, multiple whumpers(?), failed escape

...

Sawyer had managed to get on Rowan's good side again recently. It wasn't easy, and it took a lot of effort on his part, but he managed to convince him he wouldn't run again. And to a certain degree, he meant it.

He didn't want to run because he didn't want any other innocent people dying, or just getting tortured in the basement. Even the thought of getting locked in that damn shed again made him feel sick.

But still, the desire to escape and return to his normal life plagued his mind. He craved human interaction. He missed his friends, and even the creeps at Indigo. At least those creeps made him money.

And over time, he grew depressed. No matter how many times Rowan assured him he loved him, he didn't feel loved. He felt like a prisoner, a doll he liked to play with. Their relationship had changed drastically; now that he was no longer had the motivation to rebel and escape, Rowan would rather coax him into getting things over with instead of forcing him.

He no longer felt like a person. He wasn't allowed to do anything for himself, and he spent most of his time doing chores or sleeping.

He tried talking to Rowan about getting back to work at Indigo, just to sing on the weekends, but it only earned him a harsh scolding.

"Good evening, darling!" Rowan sang as he entered the kitchen. He went straight for Sawyer, kissing the top of his head. "How was your day?"

Every day, Rowan asked the same question. It was pretty funny, considering he knew how his day was, considering he'd only leave him alone for ten minutes at a time.

Today Rowan gave him a little extra privacy, since he spent a while outside. It was odd behavior, but he thought nothing of it. "You know how it was." He gave a little shrug. "When you were gone, I just cleaned the kitchen."

He'd already done it twice today, but he was bored out of his mind. Being stuck here had turned his life from mildly boring to unbearably mundane.

He barely had any hobbies outside of singing, and he hated whenever Rowan caught him even humming. So his only form of entertainment was cleaning.

Rowan sighed, but kept smiling. "Don't sound so glum! I have a surprise for you outside by the dock."

"A surprise...?" he repeated slowly. He felt like he was being tricked, but he had been on his best behavior. There wasn't any reason for Rowan to be deceitful. He hoped.

He wrapped his arms around his waist, lifting him up from the chair. "Yup, and it's a special one too." He took Sawyer's hand and walked with him through the sliding door. They stepped through the grass, passing by the empty garden. It wasn't the dock itself Rowan was talking about, but what was close by the dock, the overgrown gazebo Sawyer recognized from his early captivity.

Fairy lights had been hung up, shining brightly under the darkening sky. He saw a small table with two chairs. There was a glass vase filled with roses, and a bottle of wine sitting in the middle.

"We're eating outside?" Sawyer guessed.

"Yes," Rowan chirped. "But that's not all, come on." He tugged Sawyer's hand to make him speed up. Rowan was too excited, and Sawyer was worried. He guided them to the steps of the gazebo, leading him up them.

Sawyer took a seat once they got to the tables. He watched Rowan fidget with something with his back turned, but didn't have the energy to worry.

Worst case scenario? Rowan would shoot him. Best case scenario? Rowan would shoot him.

He sat back in the chair, closing his eyes for a moment. He inhaled, and the crisp night air felt good. It was actually sort of nice to be outside, but it didn't do much to calm his nerves. He listened to the quiet sounds of the outdoors.

It was peaceful, despite the fact he had no idea what Rowan wanted from him. Sawyer looked down at the spaghetti on their plates. Rowan must've made it when Sawyer took a quick nap on the couch.

"What's the occasion?" Sawyer asked. Rowan finally turned to him, pocketing whatever he was messing with.

"Can't a man want a romantic dinner with his boyfriend?" Rowan chuckled. He pulled his own chair back to take a seat.

Sawyer didn't even have the energy to laugh. 'Boyfriend'. Yeah, right. More like stalker, abuser, kidnapper. The list went on and on. He prodded at his food. "I appreciate the dinner." He didn't feel like eating, but he knew that'd upset Rowan. He learnt how to pick his fights over the past few weeks. "But why are we eating outside?"

Rowan popped the cork of the wine. He filled their glasses, then drank from his own. "I just had a feeling that you would like this," he answered. "It's healthy to get some fresh air every now and then. Plus, look at this view."

He gestured to the sunset in the distance. It was breathtakingly gorgeous, Sawyer had to admit. He'd never seen such a picturesque scene before, yet he had no enthusiasm towards it.

It was like a piece was missing. He didn't feel excited or happy or free, he felt numb.

It was almost scary, how quickly his mindset had shifted. He went from being a hot headed spitfire who was determined to escape, to a broken shell of a man who did everything in his power to appease his deranged kidnapper.

He supposed being isolated for so long did that to a person.

He managed to force himself to eat some of the food, just to get Rowan off his back. It felt like a rock settling in his stomach. It was even worse when Rowan kept touching his arm, rubbing small circles over his skin.

It felt so wrong, yet Sawyer couldn't do anything about it. He didn't even try to pull away anymore. It was useless.

The silence between them felt like a vice grip, squeezing tighter and tighter. Rowan kept stealing glances at him, but Sawyer didn't even notice.

The sound of Rowan clearing his throat snapped him back to reality. "Do you like it?" he asked. He reached out to brush a stray hair from Sawyer's cheek, tucking it behind his ear.

"Yeah." Sawyer nodded, only because he had no other choice. "It's amazing. Thank you."

That made Rowan smile. "Good." He finished the rest of his wine, then stood up and reached back into his pocket. Sawyer could hardly see what it was because Rowan had the small object held tightly in both hands.

Then, suddenly, he knelt. Sawyer's brows knitted together, confused. This couldn't be good.

"Sawyer." Rowan cleared his throat. He took a deep breath, holding out a ring box. When he opened it, a band of silver rested inside, shining in the fairy lights above. "Will you marry me?"

Sawyer had never been so speechless in his entire life. He almost couldn't breathe, he had to swallow to keep his mouth from hanging open. His hands clenched into fists, digging his nails into his palms to keep from tearing his hair out. Of all the things Sawyer thought he would do, this wasn't one of them. This was far beyond insanity.

But then again, Rowan had never been stable to begin with.

"Sawyer, my love, please say something." Rowan's voice was almost shaky. For once he didn't look cocky, he looked scared. Maybe scared wasn't the right word. It was more like a plea.

He really cared about the answer, and Sawyer had no idea why. If Rowan wanted to get married, he could easily force it.

Then again, Sawyer was starting to realize Rowan didn't want to be forceful. He wasn't a (completely) sadistic man.

He really wanted Sawyer to love him. It was sad, almost. Rowan was so pathetic in this moment that Sawyer almost felt bad for him. But that was hard when he remembered the murders and abuse and torture.

"Do you actually care for what I have to say, or do you just expect me to say yes?" Sawyer spoke slow and soft, a stark contrast to Rowan's tense tone.

Rowan looked ready to cry. "If you don't like the ring, I can get you another one! I-I was stuck between silver or gold, but you seemed to like silver more. Am I wrong? Or we could do something entirely different! Something unique, like you. I wouldn't mind, this one only cost me a few thousand." He was rambling, which was almost amusing, in its own morbid way.

Sawyer sighed heavily. He wasn't in the mood to deal with this bullshit. It was ridiculous how much Rowan tried to force this illusion of a loving relationship on him.

An idea popped into his head. "Where would we have the ceremony? Or, uh, the honeymoon?"

"Anywhere you want."

He was surprisingly agreeable, given how protective of him he was. "Could I invite my family and friends?" Not that his family would willingly come. They'd probably be happier to come to his funeral than wedding, even if it was a real wedding.

Rowan hesitated. "I can't do that, honey. It's not worth the risk. But I can bring some of my family! They'd be supportive of us. You would like them." His tone was hopeful. "My cousin is a preacher, so we don't have to go through the trouble of finding someone."

The response was exactly what Sawyer expected. "Great," he said flatly. Maybe this would give him a better escape-route. "Then... I accept. Your proposal, I mean."

He didn't mean for it to come out like they were making a business deal, but he didn't see it as anything else. It was a terrible decision, but one that he felt he needed to make in order to keep what little sanity Rowan had left.

And even if he couldn't get an escape out of it, being legally married wouldn't change much for him.

Rowan didn't seem to notice Sawyer's lack of enthusiasm. He slipped the ring onto Sawyer's finger, then kissed the back of his hand. "Perfect fit," he whispered. "I love you." He kissed his hand again, staring up at him with watery eyes. "I love you so so much."

...

Their "wedding" was being held at a vineyard, since apparently his sister owned one. It took just two months to plan, but it was planned to the nines.

Everything was perfect to Rowan.

For Sawyer, it was the opposite. The flowers weren't the ones he wanted. The decorations were tacky. He was dressed in a suit that made him feel like he was being choked. And to make things worse, the guests consisted of people he never met before. Rowan explained that they were distant cousins and aunt and uncles, but that did little to comfort him.

If he could just find the right moment to escape or beg for help when Rowan finally left his side, then maybe everything would be okay.

He found it slightly odd how accepting almost his entire family was of this. None of them commented on how fast they were getting married, or the fact they never met Sawyer before and now they were just jumping into getting wed.

He assumed they had a little knowledge of his tendencies beforehand.

"Rowan!" a man called.

Sawyer glanced over. It was a guy who was just a few inches taller than him, having messy light brown hair and pale blue eyes. He wore a black dress shirt, and jeans. He seemed to be in his mid-20s. The man embraced Rowan in a tight hug.

"Griffin! Good to see you," Rowan said as they parted. "Where's Felicity, by the way?"

The younger man crossed his arms. "Wooow, that's all I get? Anyway, she's trying to make sure Jessica doesn't try to ruin everything." He laughed. Sawyer noticed Rowan scowl at the name, but didn't get any time to think about why, as Griffin was already making eye-contact with him. "So is this Sawyer?" He flashed a smile. "Damn, Rowan, you picked a good one." He pretended to be hurt when Rowan hit him across the head. "Ow! I was joking! I hope Sawyer knows he's about to marry a dick."

"Sawyer," Rowan started. "This is my little brother, Griffin. Don't mind him, he was dropped on his head as a baby."

Their bickering gave Sawyer some kind of illusion of normalcy, but it was quickly shattered when Rowan gripped his shoulder. Sawyer hadn't even noticed him move. Griffin waved goodbye before leaving, and Sawyer watched him go.

They walked a while to their destination. There were some other people mingling in the halls, and even more outside in the garden.

Some of the other guests took notice of the pair and congratulated them, and Rowan would thank them and dismiss himself as politely as possible.

Sawyer thought he'd only be seeing Rowan after the whole ceremony, but apparently he seemed to have no issue breaking the typical wedding traditions.

Who he assumed was Felicity greeted them both. She looked the most similar to Rowan, having a darker shade of hair and darker purple eyes from behind her glasses.

"It's lovely to meet you, Sawyer," she said, her voice more reserved than her brothers'. "I'm sure you'll take good care of my little brother, won't you?" She offered a teasing smile.

"Uhm, yeah, I'll try. He's been great to me," he lied, forcing a smile back.

"Oh, by the way, where's Jess?" Rowan cut in. He still hadn't let go of Sawyer's shoulder.

"Right here."

Great. Another one. Sawyer was getting tired of meeting new people already. She had long brown hair and green eyes, wearing a knee-length emerald dress.

She didn't look too happy to be here, but it was hard to tell when she hardly showed any emotion. "What? Got a problem?" She swirled what appeared like white wine in her glass. "I thought this was a party."

Sawyer almost wanted to laugh at her exaggerated 'rich person' voice. Rowan did not. "It is, and it's a celebration for my marriage. I hope you don't go making yourself the center of attention like you did at Griffin's graduation party."

Jessie's nose wrinkled. "You'll never live that down, will you?"

It was moments like these that Sawyer was reminded Rowan was human. It was sweet to see him care for his brother and sister, and the rest of his family (save for his aunt). Sawyer reminded himself to not feel guilty for planning an escape. Rowan did not deserve his pity.

After a while longer of mingling, Sawyer and Rowan separated to put on their actual wedding clothes. Sawyer was dragged off by Felicity, and Rowan by Griffin. He watched Felicity grab a white suit with a black dress shirt and tie out of the closet. The white fabric was covered with delicate lace designs. It looked custom-made and beyond expensive. He didn't even realize he never saw his suit until now.

As much as Rowan liked to pretend he cared, Sawyer's opinion didn't matter to him.

"Rowan sure has a lot of family," Sawyer exhaled. He got into his suit while Felicity turned around. He had no idea why she was here, but maybe it was a good thing. He could finally get some help.

She hummed. "Yes, it's quite a lot, and most of them didn't even show up. Rowan has been wanting to get married for a while now. I'm happy he's finally found someone. He's always been a lonely guy, so it's nice to know he's going to settle down."

Sawyer finished dressing in his suit, wondering if he should rip the bandaid or not. He felt like he was on a timer and needed to get this done now. He tried to steady his breathing. "Rowan kidna--"

Felicity stepped forwards to fix his crudely done tie. "Did you know he told me that he first saw you when he was visiting that club you sing at? He wouldn't stop talking about it. I had to cut him off an hour into our call to tell him I had to go. Every time he'd call me from that day, you were always the main topic of conversation. He's tried to talk about you with Griff, but he's more interested in doing... whatever it is he does."

"So did he tell you... um..." No way he told her, right? She had to be oblivious, no way--

"He kidnapped you? No, but I figured it out pretty quick. He's had a history of obsessing over people, he got in trouble for it a lot in high school," she chuckled, as if this was funny. "And the way he described you, well... I gathered you weren't very interested in him romantically. Or at all."

Sawyer swallowed hard. "And you're treating this like it's normal?"

With a sigh, she nodded. "Listen. I know you think you don't want this, but when you get to know him, you'll see he's a great guy. His heart is in the right place, and I'm tired of seeing him so depressed and self-destructive all the time. He needs someone to balance him out. Maybe that person can be you. It already seems to be working, honestly."

He gaped at her. "You... you can't be serious..." He shook his head, desperate. "He doesn't need me, he needs fucking therapy! If not that, then prison! He killed a man, did he tell you that too? He's insane and--"

"I can see that you're not very open to this," she cut in. "So I'll give you a little advice. Just don't bother fighting it. Things will be better for you if you go along with it, and it'll be easier for everyone."

She left the room, leaving Sawyer even more distraught than he was before.

Fuck that. He had to get out of here.

Sawyer peeked out the window. There was a decent drop, but it looked like he could climb out and reach the ground safely. He didn't care about damaging the suit, he just wanted to escape.

He scrambled to the window and threw it open. It didn't have a screen, luckily. He hoisted himself up and was about to make his escape when a voice resounded the room.

"You don't want to do that," he heard Rowan say.

Sawyer's heart raced. He didn't know what to say, but it turned out he didn't need to. He was just glad he was still facing away from him, he didn't want Rowan to see his tears.

"Come back in. Close the window, then turn around and face me." Sawyer didn't move. "Or else I'll just postpone the wedding because you mysteriously broke your legs."

Sawyer gritted his teeth. He knew Rowan's threats weren't bluffs, so he reluctantly pushed the window back shut.

He turned to him, but refused to make eye-contact.

"Good boy." Rowan walked over to him and pulled him into his chest. Sawyer hated how natural it felt to be there. "Are you scared, love? Do I frighten you?" Sawyer didn't respond, but it didn't seem like Rowan expected him to. "It didn't have to be this way. I thought you would've realized this by now. But that's okay." His breath ghosted his lips and his voice turned into a hissing whisper. "I'll just reserve my anger for our honeymoon. I'm not letting this night be ruined."

He heard footsteps approaching and turned his head, just as the door opened. "Rowan?" Griffin called. "We're about to start."

Rowan released Sawyer and smiled. "Coming!" He reached down to hold Sawyer's hand, dragging him out with him.

The ceremony was just a blur for Sawyer. He tried his best to zone out, but he still felt Rowan's heavy stare on him the entire time. He said his vows without stuttering, but he was a wreck on the inside.

This was something he never wanted to do. He wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

Rowan's grip on his hands was almost bruising. "I do." He squeezed even harder.

"And do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, 'till death do you part?"

'Till death do us part', Sawyer thought. For some reason, it felt like he was selling his soul to the devil in that moment. He bit down on his lip to the point it bled. "I do."

"I now pronounce you husband and... husband. You may kiss the groom."

The kiss was chaste, but it still felt like a million bugs crawling all over his body. Rowan seemed to have no remorse, he was practically beaming. Sawyer had tears running down his eyes, but it seemed everyone around him thought they were happy tears. He let his shoulders slump and he tried to get out of Rowan's grasp, but Rowan would never allow that. He held his hand throughout the reception, as well. Sawyer just stopped fighting a while ago.

The cake was nice, and he drank a shit ton of alcohol to try to dull the pain. Everyone just thought he was nervous. Rowan's family was too happy to assume anything was wrong, and Sawyer just couldn't bring himself to speak up.

Griffin was the only one who asked if he was okay, but he was quickly pulled away to go dance by Rowan.

Sawyer could only silently dread waiting to find out what Rowan meant when he mentioned saving his anger for their honeymoon.

[rfxiii]

(First off, a very happy birthday tomorrow to @theawfulwriter !! I’m still a little messed up and ouchy from surgery Tuesday and I really, really hope this makes sense! But more than anything, happy birthday! And if this doesn’t make sense, or isn’t what you wanted, lemme know and I’ll re-write it! 🎉🎂)

Best Birthday Wishes

TW: none

You’re curled up on your couch, sweatpants and baggy hoodie on while you sit with your knees to your chest. You’re barely paying attention to the tv show you’re so absently staring at. And while you’re lost in your own head, you fail to hear your front door jiggle open, or to notice the sound of heavy boots thudding across your floor, until a body hefts itself gracelessly over the back of your couch.

“Why so glum, sugar?” Your recent boyfriend, Trevor, asks.

You snap your head up at the sound of his voice, your eyes narrowing at Trevor as he sits cross-legged on the couch beside you. He's dressed in a pair of worn jeans, a plain white t-shirt, and a beat up old demin jacket, his foot propped up on the edge of your coffee table. His smile is almost mocking, and it takes everything in you not to snap at him. "I'm not in the mood, Trevor," you reply, looking away from him again. "Leave me alone."

But Trevor doesn't seem fazed by your less-than-friendly tone. He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and studies your face intently. "Come on, darlin’," he says, his voice softening. "You can tell Uncle T what's wrong. You know you can." You feel your shoulders sag a little at the tenderness in his voice, but you're still not in the mood for this. "I just want to make it better."

You sigh, scrubbing at your face with your hands before looking back up at him. "It's-.. It’s my birthday today," you mumble. "I just... I don't want to celebrate."

Trevor's eyebrows knit together in concern. "Why not?" he asks gently. "What's wrong with celebrating you? You're amazing!" You roll your eyes, even though the words warm you up a little from the inside. "No, really," he insists. "You're perfect, smart, funny, and talented. If it was up to me, every motherfucker would be celebrating you today!”

You feel a little embarrassed by his compliments, but you can't help but smile a little. "Thanks, I guess," you mutter, looking away again. "But it's just... hard sometimes, you know?"

"Yeah," Trevor says, nodding. "I get that. But you know what? Tonight, we're going to make this the best birthday ever. Even if it's just the two of us. We can order some takeout, put on a movie... Whatever you want to do."

You chew on your bottom lip, considering his offer. A small part of you wants to enjoy your birthday with Trevor, but another part of you just wants to wallow in self-pity for a while. "Okay," you finally say, sighing. "I'll try."

Trevor beams at you, obviously relieved. "Great! I'll go get the food and set everything up while you get changed, okay?" He stands up and moves around the couch to lean against the armrest, studying you carefully. "You like Chinese? Italian? Wha’da’ya want, angel?”

You shrug. "Eh, anything’s fine..." You feel a little guilty about how little enthusiasm you have for this whole thing, but you tell yourself you'll try to enjoy it for Trevor's sake. Maybe a night in with your favorite person can make things a little better.

Trevor nods, already heading for the door. "Great! I'll be back before ya know it," he says, shooting you a quick wink before disappearing into the hallway. You hear the front door close, and then silence fills the apartment as you're left alone with your thoughts again.

You decide on taking a quick shower to at least feel a little better, you stand up and head down the hall to your bathroom. The hot water feels good against your skin as you wash away the day's grime and exhaustion. Once you're done, you throw on a pair of comfortable sweats and a soft t-shirt, feeling a little more like yourself again.

When you emerge from the bathroom, you hear the unmistakable sound of a movie playing from the living room. Peeking around the corner, you spot Trevor, and see he’s set up a little impromptu movie theater on the living room floor, complete with big blankets and a bowl of popcorn. The TV is playing an old romantic comedy you used to love, and he's even lit a few cheap candles to set the mood. You have to admit, it's kind of cute.

Trevor glances up at you as you step into the living room and offers you the bowl of popcorn. "I hope you like the movie," he says, actually looking a little nervous. "I figured you could use a laugh." You smile at him, feeling a little guilty about the way you've been acting. "Thanks, Trev. It's sweet of you." You curl up on the huge pile of blankets beside him, taking a handful of popcorn and settling in to watch the movie.

As the movie progresses, you find yourself getting caught up in the story and laughing along with Trevor at all the right places. He slips an arm around your shoulders, pulling you closer, and you feel a pang of affection for him. He really is perfectly sweet when he wants to be. You can't help but wonder if this is what it's like to have someone who really cares about you, who wants to make sure you're happy.

As the credits roll, Trevor turns to you with a mischievous grin. "So, what do you say, beautiful? Now what?" You smile back at him, feeling more than a little grateful for his efforts. "I don't know, Trev. I am a little tired."

He laughs, his eyes twinkling. "Come on, let's at least have a slice of cake first. You know, to make it a proper birthday celebration." His enthusiasm is contagious, and despite yourself, you find yourself smiling back at him.

He stands up and disappears into the kitchen, returning a moment later with a small but surprisingly pretty chocolate cake and two candles. "I figured we could share it," he says with a wink, "since I kinda forgot to get food."

You roll your eyes, but can't help but laugh. "You're such a dummy, T."

He grins, setting the cake down on the coffee table. "I know, but you love me anyway." He lights the candles and hands you a lighter, then leans in close, his breath warm against your ear. "Now, make a wish."

You close your eyes, thinking for a moment. It's silly, but you wish that things could stay this way forever. Just you and Trevor, safe and happy like this in your apartment, with nothing or nobody to bother you.

You share the cake and soft laughter, and then, once it's all gone, you find yourselves back on the couch, curled up together. The soft glow from the television casts a warm light over your faces, and you can't help but feel content.

"You know," Trevor says softly, "I'm sorry if today kinda sucked for ya, sugar.. I just want you to be happy, and sometimes I don't know how to make that happen."

You look up at him, surprised. "It's okay, Trev. I've been... kind of a mess lately, and this birthday business didn’t help. But…you really have made the day better." You reach out and take his hand, giving it a squeeze. "I appreciate what you did today- trying to make tonight special for me. It worked, ya know?”

He smiles down at you, his eyes shining in the dim light. "I'm glad you enjoyed it," he says, leaning in to press a gentle kiss against your lips.

You smile back at him, feeling a warmth spread through your chest. Maybe there's hope for better days after all.

[lantanasmuttyfanfics]

Hai!! Can you do a dexven fic where Raven spot Dexter kissing Cupid on the chicks ( perharps smutty? Between dexven)

First no hate to Cupid. Not here to villainize her or throw hate at her this is just for the fic purpose

Anyway I’m a ride or die Dexven shipper and while I appreciate dex/cupid shipper Dexven is the one for meee

Hope you enjoyed and have a great dayy!!

—————————

Raven didn’t know what to expect, but it wasn’t this. Briar had organized a party for some occasion she couldn’t remember and to say it was… intense would be an understatement.

Streamers and banners lined the walls, two lines of tables filled to the brim with food and drinks, she’d even managed to get a disco ball.

“Come on Raven! We’ll be old hags by the time you get moving.” Raven listened to Apple as she pulled her further and further in the hall, leading her to Grimm knows where.

In truth she didn’t really want to be there, she had already had a full booked weekend and a party on a Monday night was not something on her bingo card.

But after all her friends urged her, saying it wouldn’t be the same without her, she’d obliged and now here she was getting dragged by Apple.

“Raven!” The two girls turned to look at Darling who was speed walking to them. They slowed down and walked in pace with a slightly panting Darling.

“Everything ok?”

“Hmm? Oh yeah Dexter asked me to tell you that he was looking for you.”

“And he couldn’t tell her himself because…?

“Oh it was in case he couldn’t find her.”

Raven felt her heart flutter a little at the mention of the one prince who made her heart swoon. Maybe it was because he was one of the only people who didn’t treat her like a monster when he first saw her or-.

“Last I know he was by the photo booth.” Raven blinked as she realized she’d been lost in thought. Heat of embarrassment made its way to her cheeks as she nodded at Darling.

“Thank you.”

She quickly walked off, a small pep in her step as she looked around. Hoping to catch a glimpse of his dark hair or blue eyes, eyes that seemed to mesmerize her.

But as she made it to the photo booth, Dexter was knower to be seen. In fact the only people near were a group of fan girls and Daring by a table.

Raven internally sighed as she made her way over. She’d figure that his brother would have seen him if he was here earlier.

“Daring?”

“-and then I unleashed my sword at the dragon-.”

“Daring.”

“-fire blasted everywhere and… oh hi Raven, what are you doing here.”

Raven gritted her teeth, she really didn’t have the patience today and Daring was testing to its limits. “Just wondering where Dexter is.”

Daring paused for a second, turning his attention to her and behind her head searching for his brother. “Sorry but I haven’t seen him.”

She quietly thanked him and walked off in further search.

—

Dexter pushed through heaps of dancing bodies as he searched for Raven. Hoping to catch a glimpse of her violet eyes or ebony hair.

Tonight was the night, he’d decided, that he would finally confess to Raven his feelings for her. It seemed the right time after spending the last few weeks together constantly.

Suddenly as he passed by the photo booth he turned his head as he thought her heard her voice. Sure enough there he found Raven talking to… to Daring.

Why did she always have to be talking to Daring? Whenever he seeked her out, surprise surprise guess who is there making her smile. Daring.

He felt agitation rise within him, felt a bitter sort of jealousy as she walked closer to his brother.

Without an other word he spun on his heel, walking straight to an open table without looking in front of him.

He heard a feminine shriek as he slammed straight into a girl. “Oh Grimm I’m so sorry- Cupid? Here let me help you up.” Cupid giggled as he offered his hand, dusting her dress off.

“It’s ok. Accident happen. Anyway why do you look so glum? Not enjoying the party?” She lead them to the table, sitting next to him on the couch.

“No… it’s just- never mind. How’s your night going Cupid.” The girl smiled, her eyes lighting up as she scooted closer her heart bursting.

“Oh it’s going alright. Although… I really want to dance.” She fluttered her lashes at Dexter hoping that the message came across loud and clear.

Sometimes boys were slow.

“Then would you care to dance?” Cupid was jumping up before he could finish his sentence, pulling him up with her and practically running to the dance floor.

Just then a slow, gentle love song from some famous singer came on. Cupid rested her cheek on Dexters shoulder, a content smile on her face.

They swayed in the music for what felt like forever for her. The atmosphere screamed romantic and the buzz inside her yelled at her to test the waters.

So Cupid lifted her head, gazing directly to a seemingly distracted Dexter as she rose to the tiptoes. She’d kiss him and see where things went from there.

Dexters eyes widened as he saw Cupid reaching up, her lips slightly puckered and her eyes fluttering closed. He didn’t want to kiss her, so in his panic he turned his head.

He didn’t want to embarrass the poor girl, clearly he was giving her mixed signals. Instead he turned his head and placed a soft kiss on her cheek.

—

Raven found Dexter pretty quickly after, it was hard to miss him when he was standing in the middle of the dance floor with Cupid, swaying to some love song.

She thought her heart couldn’t construct much more, that she couldn’t feel more jealous and remorseful as she watched them.

But then his lips met her cheek, and his kissed her.

Raven let out an unconscious gasp, her hand clutching her skirt tightly as she went to run off. Yet as she did her eyes suddenly met his own.

They stared at each other for only a second before Raven tan off, her mind dizzy and swimming with endless possibilities. Did she get it all wrong?

Did she think Dexter liked but instead she was getting mixed signals? Maybe she read into it too much. Besides they weren’t even a thing, or anything close to one.

“Raven!”

She paused in her steps, shivering as the cool air hit her bare skin. She watched as Dexter ran after her, his eyes nearly frantic.

“Wait please!”

She did. Grimm curse her she did and stayed rooted on the spot as he now stood before her, his hair softly blowing in the wind as she stared at her.

“It’s not what it looks like.”

She tilted her head, why was he even concerned with telling her this when they so clearly weren’t together.

“I don’t understand…”

“The kiss with Cupid. It’s not what it looks like.”

Dexters eyes were searching her face, no doubt for any hints of what she was feeling. Instead Raven gave him a friendly smile as she stepped forward.

“There’s nothing to explain. It’s very clear Dexter.”

“I know but-.”

“You really don’t need to. I completely understand.”

“You do! Oh thank Grimm I-.”

“We are just friends after all. So it doesn’t… matter.”

Dexter was left to gaze at where Raven once stood as she gave him a little smile and walked of.

Friends… of course they were friends.

—————————

If I had a coin for every time these two unintentionally friend zoned one an other I’d be riiicchhh

Anyway got science exams starting Monday and safe to say is that I’m going to kms because tf do you mean I already have exams

Hope you enjoyed and have a great dayy!!

[sweetyyhippyy]

No Possibility. Eddie Munson x fem! reader. *ANGST*

Summary: Eddie's wife comes home with some sad news. Eddie tries to comfort her the best way he can.

Word Count: 627

TW: *EXTREMLY HEAVY TOPIC* Trouble getting pregnant. A lot of crying.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It wasn’t what she was hoping to hear from the doctor.

What made her more glum was the fact that she has to tell her husband that the past year was a waste of their time, and that it was never going to happen.

As soon as she heard his motorcycle pull into the garage, her stomach was in knots, the lump that has been in the back of her throat since after her appointment, only got tighter, and a cold wave of anxiety washed over her.

How was she going to tell him without breaking his heart?

“Babe! ‘M home!” Eddie’s voice calls out from the front of the house, his work boots thumping to the kitchen where she was. “There she is. Lemme get a kiss.” He comes from behind her and presses a sweet kiss to her right cheek, resting his chin on her shoulder. “How was your day?”

“It was okay.” Her voice was small, the hurt and nervousness apparent. There was no disguising it.

“Hey, you okay?” His dark brows knitted together in concern.

She bites her bottom lip to stop it from starting to quiver, turning to look at this big brown eyes of his that won her over the day he asked her out on a date 5 years ago. “I had my doctor's appointment today, Eds.” She sighs.

“Good news or bad news?” He asks, backing up to stand next to her. “Well, I guess you wouldn’t seem so sad if it was good news, huh?” He mutters, looking at her in sympathy.

“One of my ovaries is no good, there’s zero eggs. My other one has eggs, but my doctor said my uterus isn’t strong enough to carry a full term pregnancy. If we tried, either the baby could die, or me.”

Eddie visibly takes all the information in, gnawing his bottom lip nervously.

“I’m sorry, Eddie. We’ve been trying to get pregnant for so long, and it was all for nothing.” Tears start to roll down her cheeks as she speaks to him. “I can’t even give you the one thing you’ve wanted your whole life. I can’t even make you a dad.” She hiccups as she sobs. “I’m sorry.” She rests her elbows on the counter, burying her face into her hands.

“No, it wasn’t all for nothing, sweetheart. Don’t say that.” Eddie wraps himself around her shaking body, trying to control his own tears.

She picks her head up out of her hands and looks at him, shaking her head. “I wasted our time.”

“No You didn’t.” Eddie puts his hand under her chin, making her look at him. “This year has been amazing. Putting sex aside, I feel like, somehow, I’ve gotten to know your body and mind more than I have since we first got together. I thought I knew everything about you before we got married. I don’t know how that’s possible, but I feel more connected with you.”

She sniffles at his words. “But I can’t make you a dad.”

“That’s okay. I can still be a dad. We can adopt, we can figure out how to become foster parents. We can take in some kids that have shitty lives and love them the way they should be. Or, maybe we let the dream go off becoming parents, that’s okay too.”

She turns her body to him, burying her face in his chest, sobbing into it. Even though he said he was okay with not being a dad, her heart still broke a little at the fact she wouldn’t be able to carry their children.

Eddie held her tight, letting her soak his shirt with tears. He understood how much this killed her. “It’s okay, baby. I promise it’ll be okay."

[mephinomaly]

[TL] A Snake in one's Bosom/Ibara Saegusa 4*

Character(s): Ibara, Nagisa, Hiyori

Summary: After a recording, Nagisa suddenly and unexpectedly snaps at Ibara. Lost, Ibara asked Hiyori for help. After some shopping, Hiyori reveals what the reason was...

Season: Winter

Ibara: Thank you for your hard work today! As always, working with a jack-of-all-trades is a delight ☆

Today’s recording focused on adlibs and originally I was rather worried about it but now I know that was groundless apprehension.

The staff have prepared some ice cream. Is chocolate to your liking, Your Excellency?

Nagisa: …Ice cream? Thank you, Ibara. This is a reward for today.

(...!?)

Ibara: I look forward to continuing work with the same attitude tomorrow, Your Excellency, if you allow!

Nagisa: ...

Ibara: Is something the matter? You’re making a glum expression but perhaps that is me overthinking?

If that is the case, then please be as harsh as is needed in order for me to improve. If His Excellency so wishes, this Ibara Saegusa will do whatever it takes. Ha Ha Ha ☆

Nagisa: …So noisy. Shut up.

Ibara: Huh…!?

…Sorry? Y-Your Excellency? Why have you suddenly become angry? Did I do something in order to cause it?

If I did, please! Please tell me!?

Location: CosPro Office

Ibara: —And that’s basically it.

Hiyori: Ahaha. How amusing. Nagisa-kun threatened you and you got scared.

Ibara: This is not a laughing matter. His Excellency hasn’t spoken to me since then.

Hiyori: Oh yeah? Then, you came all this way in order to ask me about why Nagisa-kun got angry, hm?

Ibara: Yes, I did. Since today is his day off, I’d like to use this time to get to the root of the issue.

Hiyori: I don’t think you need to be so timid. He was probably already in a bad mood and you set him off.

Ibara: Perhaps, but I do not believe that something like that would be enough to upset him to that degree.

Hiyori: Fufu...

Ibara: What’s so funny? Seriously, this is no joking matter, Your Highness!

Hiyori: Nono it’s just- Ibara is far more impatient than I thought. It’s cute.

Ibara: I suppose I have to be cautious of topics that could potentially upset him despite not knowing what those could be.

Up until now, if His Excellency is angry, I am usually aware of the cause of it. However, this time, I am completely at a loss.

I cannot help with getting rid of whatever is upsetting him.

Therefore, I humbly request your assistance as someone who is the most knowledgeable about His Excellency!

Hiyori: …Wow, this is very honest and laudable for you, hm?

Ibara: If I continue to cause distress to His Excellency, future Eden and Adam activities may be at risk of failure.

Therefore I believe that the best course of action is to resolve this ASAP.

Hiyori: I see. I understand why you’re so desperate.

But of course, I know exactly why Nagisa-kun is angry. So coming to me was the correct thing to do.

Ibara: You’re a godsend! Then please—

Hiyori: However! Simply telling you why is boring, right? Since you’re asking me for a favour, I want you to show me how serious you are about this.

Ibara: How serious I’m being? How would you like me to show that? Would dogeza be sufficient?[1]

Hiyori: Fufu. You have to accompany me window shopping!

Location: Mall

Hiyori: I was able to get a bunch of different cute spring clothes. What good weather ♪

Ibara: I’m glad you are enjoying yourself, Your Highness. However, this is a rather extravagant way to spend one’s time.

Hiyori: Entertain me first before you start talking about extravagance.

I ask you what clothes you like and you give this model pre-generated answer. You know all the latest trends but it doesn’t matter because all you talk about is when it’ll go out of style.

Talking to you isn’t fun.

I try to teach you the joy of highbrow activities but you do nothing but work so I guess you’re unteachable.

Ibara: For me, work produces the same effects and results as your highbrow activities. Rest assured, Your Highness. Hahaha ☆

Anyhow, could you perhaps now tell me what was upsetting His Excellency?

Hiyori: Hm, fine then. I’m just killing time at this point and you’ve practically become my personal baggage carrier.

So you wanted to know why Nagisa-kun was in a bad mood right?

Fufu. So the reason that Nagisa-kun glared at you was—

Ibara: Yes...

Hiyori: He just has a cavity.

Ibara: …Pardon? He has… a cavity?

Hiyori: Well, to be exact it’s toothache. We don’t know if it’s a cavity yet.

Seems that he glared at you that day because he was eating the ice cream the staff provided and it caused him some pain.

But he knew that if he told you that, you’d confiscate it so he kept quiet and just made a face instead.

Ibara: …If that is the case, it was just a cavity that has been causing me all this grief?

Hiyori: Nagisa-kun’s using his day off to go to the dentist.

Look, I think he went to that dentist today. He’s probably about finished now…

Nagisa: …Hiyori-kun, you’ve come to pick me up.

…Oh? Ibara is here too? Why?

Hiyori: Sorry Nagisa-kun. Ibara was super worried that he had offended you so I ended up telling him about your tooth.

Nagisa: …Oh, I see. Sorry for causing you trouble, Hiyori-kun. Ibara too. My teeth are fine so please don’t worry.

Ibara: Yes?... Wonderful, that is excellent news. It is of the utmost importance that your teeth are in good health.

Nagisa: …Ibara. I’m sorry for before. I was too harsh on you.

Ibara: It’s fine. Now that I know the reason for you being upset, I feel relieved.

However, Your Excellency, I will apologise in advance for my rudeness.

But after today, you are banned from any and all desserts and sweets!

Nagisa: …Banning them isn’t necessary. It wasn’t a cavity, I just have hypersensitivity.

Ibara: It doesn’t matter! Whether a cavity or hypersensitivity, they both cause you pain!

Nagisa: …The dentist showed me the correct way to brush my teeth though. Therefore there isn’t a problem?

Ibara: No, I have already made my mind up. No matter what you say, I will not overturn it. My decision is final.

For the time being, I will be closely monitoring when you eat and when you brush your teeth!

I will even brush your teeth for you if it comes to it!

Nagisa: …You’re pushing your luck, Ibara. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again - I am above you, you are below me—

Ibara: That threat will not work on me this time. The reason for this failure was mismanagement on my part!

I have allowed you too much freedom as of late. I will fix this.

Nagisa: …What should I do, Hiyori-kun. Ibara’s scarier than usual.

Hiyori: You two have swapped positions. Dealing with Ibara is such a bother, so run away with me, Nagisa-kun.

Ibara: You will not be. No more of this farce! This will not be happening again!

dogeza is where u kneel on the floor and put ur forehead to the ground in a bow. Google it for a reference. Mans prepared to beg on his hands n knees

[demonsandmischief]

-Chapter 7: The Avengers Therapist-

Bisexual Female Reader x The Avengers

Rated M for eventual sexual themes

1.4K Words

My Masterlist for other chapters. Please read disclaimer in Ch. 1

You turned on the lamp to your apartment, jumping when you noticed the small figure on your couch.

"Jeez, Wanda," you said. "How did you get in here?"

She flicked her wrist, revealing a short red spark that disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"Tony gave me a key," she said, standing up. "How's your new job?"

"It's good," you said, washing your hands. "It's a non-profit for children. It's different from what I've done before."

Wanda nodded.

"How's therapy?"

"It's not for me."

She must've seen the look on your face because she sighed. "That doesn't mean I'm not still trying. I am, but I'm not comfortable with her, not like I am with you."

You smiled. "I'm always here to listen and help, unofficially of course. Besides, your evaluations are over now, right?"

"They were today," she murmured. "They still make us do a three week session after. We won't know what they decide until next week."

"How did it go?" you asked gently. Wanda stepped closer to you. You were backed into your kitchen island, but you didn't mind the lack of space.

"Horrible," she whispered. "I'm so tired of people prying in my life, acting like they understand. We've been scrutinized for so long. I just want to become invisible."

"Wanda," you tried to soothe, reaching up to cup her cheek. "I'm sorry. I can't imagine how that feels."

"I think everyone else feels the same way," she mumbled. "I was hoping you would come back with me for the weekend."

"I haven't really heard from anybody since that night you all slept over," you admitted, dropping your hand. "I just assumed since I rejected the offer to come back that you all were done with me."

"That's not true," she whispered. "I don't think any of us communicate very well, and I guess I could have done better-"

"It's okay," you eased, not wanting her to take the blame. "I could've reached out myself. I just got really busy."

Wanda dropped her head, and your breath caught in your throat. Her lips brushed against your cheek, dangerously close to your lips.

She backed off, flashing you an innocent smile. "Maybe we could pick up some cupcakes on the way back to cheer everyone up."

You didn't take her as the teasing type, but you were wrong. There wasn't a single Avenger that wasn't a tease, except maybe Steve, but you knew you hadn't unlocked that side yet.

---

"Look who I found," Wanda announced as you both entered the main area of the compound. Everyone was gathered around the table, eating, looking pretty glum and exhausted. Tony was the only one not there.

Steve's features immediately brightened. "YN. You're back."

"I thought I would crash here for the weekend," you said, giving a tentative smile.

You didn't expect Bucky to be the one to stand up, pulling you to his chest in a tight embrace, and though he didn't say anything, you felt what he was conveying.

"I missed you, too, Buck," you whispered, muffled by his t-shirt, comforted by his familiar smell.

"Nasha solnyshka," Natasha said quietly with an endearing smile gracing her lips. She took a plate, filling it to the brim. "Come, eat."

You took the seat next to her with Wanda on the other end. The table was bigger than you remembered.

"What did you say?" you asked her.

"You're our little ray of sunshine," she said sincerely. "Sam cooked tonight. It's very good."

"I tried something new," Sam said. "It was my mom's recipe for my sister and I when we got sick."

"Today didn't go so well, did it?" you asked the whole table.

"It wasn't just today," Steve answered. "The last two weeks have been pure hell. They needed a lot of information at such short notice. We were meeting nearly everyday on top of all of our other work."

"I'm sorry," you said. You felt guilty for all of their suffering. Maybe if you had just stayed on-

"It's not your fault," Clint said next to you. He extended his arm over the back of your chair. "Not one bit."

"Besides," Nat added. "You are right. There's something special here, and we don't want to be limited by some contract."

You smiled.

Sam's food was delicious, as it always is.

Afterwards, you helped clean up the kitchen. Someone mentioned board games and hot chocolate, and you decided to find Tony while they set things up.

Tony was in his lab, of course.

"Woah," you mumbled as you entered. The place was a mess, but besides that, you had never been up close to an Iron Man suit before. There were so many mechanical stations set up. There were some machines doing different things, and Tony was right in the middle of it.

"I'm guessing this is what your brain looks like," you teased, dragging a stool next to him.

"Don't try to psycho-analyze me, doc," he teased back, dropping his intense concentration to focus on you.

You eyed the plate full of food sitting next to him.

"You didn't eat."

"I didn't feel up to it," he shrugged. He gave you a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, though. Today was rough, for all of us, but I've got this new feature for the suit I've been working on, and I can't do anything else until I get it done."

"Okay," you nodded. You took in his scruffy look. He was relaxed in his element. "Take a break and come play board games with us?"

He looked like he was going to say no, but you pouted a bit.

"I know for a fact that look works on Steve," he said.

"So far, I think it's worked on everyone," you grinned. "Including you."

He rolled his eyes, before his features softened. "I'm glad you're here. We've all missed having you around. I heard you got a new job. Congrats."

"Thank you," you said. "It's actually quite a commute from my apartment, but it's closer to here." You threw that last part in to see his reaction, and you weren't disappointed.

"You're still considering staying here?" he asked. His features were all lit up. He reached up to brush his knuckles across your cheek.

You whispered, "Of course. As long as the offer is still open."

"Anytime. This is your home now, too." He stood up, pressing his lips to your forehead.

You followed him up the stairs.

"Can I try on the suit?" you asked.

"Definitely not."

"What about the blasty hand thingys?"

He turned to give you a skeptical look. "I heard what you did with Barton's arrow."

"Maybe you would be a better teacher," you said just as you made it upstairs, and just as Clint walked by.

"Ouch," Clint said, giving you a fake hurt look. You muffled your laugh behind your hand.

Wanda, Nat, Steve, Sam and Bucky looked to be in the midst of a very intense game of Uno.

"Draw four," Sam told Bucky.

"Why do you have so many of those?" Bucky grumbled.

"I want in," Tony said, joining their circle.

"You have to wait. I'm getting ready to win," Nat said, placing down a red six and shouting Uno before anyone else could call her out on it.

You took a seat on the couch behind them, amused by their antics.

"Here," Clint said, handing you a steaming mug of hot chocolate.

You smiled in thanks. "Why aren't you playing?"

"Because Clint makes the best hot chocolate," Wanda answered.

"That's right," Clint nodded. "I have a secret ingredient."

"It's chocolate syrup," Wanda whispered to you.

"Apparently, the word secret means nothing to you."

"Everybody knows it, Clint," Nat said, taking a card from the stack with a huff.

Sam called Uno. It looked like Bucky could barely see all of his cards because he had so many. Steve seemed to be in deep concentration.

You glanced at the stack of board games. There were several to choose from, and they were all good ones like Monopoly, Sorry, Headbands, and Clue. You tried to pinpoint which of the Avengers would be the type to have them, and you narrowed it down to Sam or Clint.

------------------Author's Note-------------------------

Being with them felt good. You could be yourself. You were exactly right where you needed to be.

Here's Ch. 8

hi! happy wednesday! happy longer chapter day!

•updates are MWF

• you will only be tagged if you comment here

•tips, requests, reblogs are always welcome :)

•my wattpad

what would you all like to see happen? ive written up to ch 11 and i think i will start wrapping it up.

prepare for some drama ✨

@inluvwithfictionalwomen @pancakefan7529 @sugarrush-blush @royalmuffinsworld @ichala @cricket-reader @almosttoopizza @wtsseb @ananyar1bughead @dont-staple-waffles @lilylovelyxo @ghosting4boasting @lyracarvahall @meeksmusic83 @superchumchum @dracanah @elmontsmile @wolf-phoenix-lover @2234world